Child Of Fate: Untold Tales
by Mecha74
Summary: These stories will feature tales that take place before, during and after Child Of Fate and are a part of that story's continuity. The first chapters will chronicle Abby's life as a vampire long before the events of the film and then move on from there.
1. Lineage

LINEAGE

X

X

December 18, 1790

Somewhere in the Atlantic ocean.

A clipper ship tossed and turned amongst storm ridden waves as the valiant crew on board fought to maintain control. Below decks meanwhile a different kind of storm was raging…

Abby screamed and wailed in misery as she yanked hard against the many chains that restrained her. She was starving, and had not fed since before they departed on this sea voyage nearly ten days ago. Nearby was the corpse of one of the seamen, his body almost completely drained of blood, but it was not Abby who partook of it. The smell of what little remained drove her mad with hunger as she let out a horrific shriek.

Her would be captor then stepped out of the darkness.

"Remember Abigail, you brought this upon yourself." Garth said standing before her in his red hooded cloak.

"Please uncle!" She cried, resulting in a vicious backhand from Garth knocking her to the floor, the rings upon his hand biting into the flesh of her face as they struck her.

"You shall never refer to me as such again! I am your sire, your master! Do you understand that?" Garth chastised her.

Technically Garth was Abby's Great Uncle, but being a vampire, his outward appearance did not reflect it. When he first came to Abby's family years ago, he presented himself under false pretenses as a long lost cousin. He won their favor, but revealed his true intentions soon enough, much to Abby's horror.

"Pl-please ma-master…" She whimpered from the floor as she looked up at him.

"No, it hasn't nearly been long enough yet."

"I'm sorry!"

"Not nearly sorry enough, not yet anyway. Did you think I would not learn the truth?"

"Why does it matter where I take blood from?"

"It matters because you are still clinging to the foolish notion that you are human. We are vampires Abigail, we are above the petty concepts of morality as defined by mere mortals. You think that by draining killers and rapists that you somehow redeem yourself in the eyes of God? Does the sunlight not burn you, do you not still bleed if you enter an abode uninvited, does the hunger not still knaw at you? God doesn't want you anymore Abigail. He no longer loves you." Garth said as he reached out gently caressing Abby's cheek, "But I do…fear not little one. You have nearly paid your penance, it won't be long now." He told her as he turned and disappeared back into the blackness again.

The ship that Garth and Abby were currently sailing upon was called the Elizabeth Dane, it had only recently been built over a year ago and then purchased by Garth two weeks ago for a substantial amount of money. Though the only two things that Garth ever attested to loving were fresh blood and his precious Abigail, he had learned the value of monetary gain. In the past he had targeted wealthy victims and then cleaned them out…in more ways than one. They were in mid transit across the Atlantic Ocean from Collinsport, Maine on their way to the port of A Coruna, Spain. In just a few more short days they would reach their destination. One of the ship's crew had initially suggested a safer and more expedient route by departing via Newfoundland or Nova Scotia and making for Ireland or Scotland. This resulted in Garth blowing up in the man's face and giving him a sound thrashing. Regardless of whether the seaman was right or not, Garth didn't like being questioned, or being made a fool of.

One day before they docked in A Coruna, Garth finally returned to the languished Abby offering her another of the ship's crew to feed upon. The ship's compliment consisted of around fifty men. Knowing that they would need to feed on the way Garth quickly pinpointed which crew members were needed to insure the ship's safe arrival and which were expendable. When their ship was hit by the storm they sailed through shortly after dusk on the night of the tenth day, Garth used his vampiric speed to snatch crew members and drag them down below without notice. He would then crush their larynx to prevent them from making any sounds. Afterward he chained them up down below and left strict orders for no one to come below decks. The rest of the crewmen simply assumed that they had been lost in the storm. Garth had imported the trappings of a decommissioned slave ship to properly facilitate those he brought below.

Abby drank deeply and hungrily with a famishment she didn't know she was capable of feeling, when she finally finished she raised her head up to look at Garth who had watched her all the while. A youthful radiance returned to her features with the life giving blood now pumping through her veins. Garth suddenly became aware of the arousal that this was bringing out in him.

"Take off your clothes." He ordered.

"Master please." She pleaded.

"Now!" He barked.

Slowly but surely she did as commanded as she removed the loose sashed white frock that bore a resemblance to an English chemise dress.

"Now turn away from me and get down on your hands and knees."

Abby hesitated.

"Do as I say child!" He roared.

With a subtle whimper she did as she was ordered as he knelt down behind her undoing the ties of his leather breech pants.

"Remember my darling Abigail, you belong to me. And without me you are nothing. Do you understand that? You…are…'NOTHING'." He declared as his hands got a firm grip upon her tiny hips.

Abby closed her eyes as tears began to stream down her cheeks, all that she could hope for now was that it would be over quickly…but it never was.

xxxxxxxxxxx

After fifteen days at sea, the Elizabeth Dane reached its port of call. It had traveled nearly four thousand miles with an average speed of two hundred and fifty to three hundred miles a day depending on the weather. Aside from the storm they had made good time.

Once they had made landfall Garth made a beeline for a shady tavern where he met a suspicious looking fellow in dark robes. Once they met Garth took something from him, Abby had no idea what it was for she never saw it, but whatever it was he paid more for it than what he spent on the ship they had sailed in. Once his business was done he and Abby left the coastal town inconspicuously and once outside of it took to the skies. In flight they moved far faster than any land mode of transportation, reaching speeds that would not be equaled on land until the advent of gas powered vehicles over a hundred years from now. Knowing that Abby could not fly as fast as he, Garth had her cling to his back. They flew nonstop for two nights, with Garth stopping before the dawn of the second night to feed upon unsuspecting travelers to replenish his strength. Along the way they slept during the day in deep caves upon high peaks not easily accessible to mortals.

At the dusk of the third night, over fifteen hundred miles later they reached their final destination. Castle Dracula, in the Carpathian mountains of Transylvania.

Garth and Abby came down in front of the small bridge that led to the main doors.

"Why are we here?" Abby asked with genuine curiosity.

"I have been summoned here for an important ceremony Abigail."

"Ceremony?"

"Yes. The resurrection of my sire, Count Dracula. It is a ceremony that can only be performed by those directly sired by him. That is what we are here for."

"We?"

"Yes, there shall be other vampires here and as such I expect you to be on your best behavior little one, is that clear?"

"Yes master." She answered as they then walked forward towards the entrance of the castle.

The doors swung open even before they reached them as a female vampire who looked to be in her thirties but was clearly much older stepped out of the doorway. She wore a long flowing violet dress and her hair was tied up in a bow upon her head.

"Garth." She said with a seeming indifference.

"Lemora." He replied with a sneer.

"I wish I could say that it is a pleasure to see you again ,but I would be lying."

"The feeling is mutual."

"And who is this?" Lemora asked taking notice of Abby somewhat hiding behind Garth, "Come forward child, I won't bite, not unless you ask me to." She smiled as she started to reach out towards Abby with her right hand.

"Stay thy hand wench!" Garth snapped smacking her hand away.

Lemora's response was to backhand Garth a good twenty feet away as he landed rather unceremoniously in a mud puddle in the courtyard.

"Touch me again or speak to me in such a disrespectful manner cretin and I shall rip your fangs from your maw with my bare hands!" She hissed.

While Garth was still in the process of getting back up a shadow fell over him. He looked up to see a rather short man of Hungarian descent standing over him in a black dress and waistcoat with slicked back black hair.

"It is fitting that you wallow in the mud Garth, you never were much more than a swine in my eyes." The well dressed gentleman said smugly with a very pronounced accent.

"Count Tesla, welcome." Lemora said with a warm smile and a bow.

"Good evening my dear." Tesla acknowledged with a bow of his own, he then continued forward paying no further heed to the humiliated Garth as he got up with a huff.

Abby meanwhile looked on in shock. To see Garth treated this way was unheard of for her, she wasn't quite sure how to react. Her train of thought was interrupted however when Lemora spoke to her.

"Now where were we? Ah, yes, I never got your name my dear." The countess said as she knelt down next to her.

Abby started to speak when she suddenly stopped herself and looked over at her sire who was glaring at them both.

"Oh don't worry about him, you can speak freely here." Lemora told her.

"Not if she knows what's good for her!" Garth blurted out.

"Nonsense, I can tell from your scent that you are the scion of Garth, that makes you practically family, now if you could please tell me your name?" Lemora asked yet again as Garth began to protest.

"Not a word! Not unless I permit-"

"Hold your tongue lest I rip it from your mouth!" Lemora cut Garth off as her voice changed in pitch to match her anger, her eyes blazing a bright yellow as she stood back up.

Garth said nothing more after that, he didn't dare. Of all the firstborns sired by their master Count Dracula, Lemora was the oldest and most powerful at well over four hundred years old. Garth having only been turned seventy five years ago was barely more than a teenager compared to her in vampire terms. Lemora's visage then returned to normal as she smiled down at Abby.

"Abigail." The little vampire finally whispered.

"Your full name darling."

"Abigail Macready."

"My what a beautiful name, welcome Abigail, please come inside." Lemora invited her as she extended her right arm towards the doors and placed her left hand upon Abby's back.

As they entered the brightly candlelit palace, Abby saw another vampire, this one was of Asian nationality and dressed in the formal dress of a samurai, a garment called a kamishimo. He possessed a threatening countenance and snarled down at Abby who backed up a few steps.

"Oh don't mind him." Lemora reassured her as she took a few steps towards him and began speaking in Japanese, "Surely Count Kishida you are capable of showing better manners than Garth? I would expect such from a vampire your age."

"I've never liked children…human or vampire." He countered.

"Well, that is where we differ, I adore them. Come come now she will only be here for a brief time. Surely you can manage until then, and let us all try to remember why we have come here after all." Lemora replied as Kishida turned and walked away.

"Who was that?" Abby asked.

"His name is Count Shin Kishida, he's three hundred and forty six years old. The second oldest here after me. Come."

As Lemora escorted Abby through the castle they passed by the main dining hall where another vampire was in the process of feeding on what appeared to a priest of some kind. Lemora noticed that they caught Abby's attention.

"That is Count Yorga." Lemora informed her.

"Who is he feeding upon?"

"A misguided clergyman who learned of our gathering and came here to consecrate the grounds…serves him right." Lemora answered as she ushered Abby onward.

As they walked along a wall to their left abruptly pushed outward with obvious cracks as Abby jumped slightly.

"Fear not child that's just Count Karol de Lavud and Miriam Blaylock in a bedroom on the other side of that wall. Everytime they meet they ravage one another, never met two vampires full of more lust and desire in my several lifetimes, and for beings such as us that's saying something. Come along."

Eventually they entered an incredible sprawling library where another vampire awaited them.

"You've returned Lemora," A beautiful young female said as she put down a book she was looking at, "And not alone." She went on taking notice of Abby.

"Abby looked over the woman now standing before them, she was French with shoulder length dark hair, sporting a heavy accent and wearing a beautiful red evening gown.

"Abby, this is Marie."

"Hello Abby." Marie said as she walked forward and took Abby's hand in her own.

"Hello." Abby spoke back timidly.

Back out in the main dining hall Garth finally entered only to find wary eyes upon him. Both Tesla and Kishida glared at him in a manner that let him know he was most unwelcome. Even Yorga stopped feeding long enough to shoot him a dirty look. Garth was more than aware that he was in unfriendly territory.

Back in the library.

"What is happening here?" Abby asked, "Garth mentioned a ceremony."

"Indeed, it is a special ritual used to bring our lord and master back from nothingness. He has been vanquished many times over the centuries, but he can not truly die. This ceremony is one of many ways that he has been brought back throughout his lifespan."

"What is it?"

"We must sprinkle our blood upon his ashes. We as his first generation sirelings alone are capable of this, and no other."

"That will bring him back?"

"Yes, and more than that, it will also grant him far greater strength than he has previously wielded. Though it is known that normal human blood can also restore him, his power is greatly reduced when that is done."

"How is this possible?"

"It is a powerful magic spell that he casted upon himself before his most recent demise, many do not realize that our lord posesses great knowledge of the mystic arts."

"Is Dracula the oldest vampire?"

"Oh no my child, our race has existed in many forms for countless millennia. There are other houses and covens besides our own. Like the Corvinus clan, the order of Aurelius, Dandridge and the Karnsteins just to name a few."

"I see that you and Garth can fly, tis a shame that such a wonderful gift is wasted upon one such as Garth." Marie commented.

"Do the others gathered here have the same powers that we do?" Abby questioned.

"It depends my dear. As vampires we are all immortal, we possess great strength and enhanced senses, but there are still differences."

"Like what?"

"The various vampires that are here have differing abilities. You see, every time that Dracula has been brought back he has displayed a different power, and depending on which lifetime that he turned someone in, the vampire in question will have a different power as well. For example, Garth can fly and since he sired you, you can as well. I can turn to mist, Marie here can scale sheer walls with her bare hands, Count Tesla can shapeshift, Kishida has hypnosis and mind control and the list goes on."

"I see, can you answer another question for me please?"

"But of course child."

"Why does no one here like Garth?"

"Because he is a lowly vagrant vagabond, unworthy of the master's gift."

"He is?"

"Indeed, I suppose he told you that he was of noble birth? That he was specially chosen perhaps?"

"Something like that." Abby said as Lemora burst out in laughter.

"What's so funny?"

"Three quarters of a century ago our master was weakened, in need of blood and on the run from vampire hunters right here in the Carpathian mountains. Garth was nothing more than a miserable peasant living in squalor that was in the wrong place at the right time."

"What stopped him from finishing him off?"

"The hunters caught up to him before he could finish the deed. A barely alive Garth staggered mindlessly off a cliff face and fell into a raging river far below where his body was washed away. Our master was too preoccupied with his assailants to care about his nameless victim. In any case he is a disgrace to the house of Dracula."

"If that is so why do you tolerate him?"

"Because he is needed for the ceremony. Dracula has sired many over the long centuries, but so few survive. Whether we like it or not, Garth does serve at least one purpose. He suffers from the delusion that now that he is a vampire his status has changed or that the wealth that he steals somehow elevates him." Lemora scoffed with a slight chuckle.

Abby said nothing more after that, but Lemora could read her expressions.

"You hate him even more than we do don't you? I can tell." Lemora discerned as she inspected a faint bruise on Abby's left cheek.

As a very young vampire only a few years old, Abby's various vampire abilities had yet to gain their full vigor comparable to much older vampires in regards to strength, healing, flight and more. The mark upon her face was an indicator of this.

"…yes." She finally answered as tears welled up in her eyes.

"When were you turned Abby?" Lemora asked her gently.

"Ten years ago."

"Ha, she's technically older than you Marie." Lemora joked looking up at her.

"Hey, I was thirty when I was turned." Marie blushed.

"True, but Abby has still been a vampire longer." Lemora reminded her as she turned her attention back to Abby, "Marie has only been a vampire for a couple years, she is our sire's latest bride."

"What I lack in experience I make up for in skill. My prowess in the bedroom was unmatched when I was still human, being made a vampire only enhanced by abilities in that area." Marie boasted defensively with her head raised high.

Lemora then inhaled deeply as she detected a particular scent.

"What is it?" Marie asked.

"I can smell remnants of man seed in her mouth." She spoke disdainfully.

"What? You mean he makes her…" Marie began to say trailing off as anger suddenly overtook her.

Marie then abruptly stood up and Lemora knew what her intentions were.

"No Marie. You mustn't."

"Why the Hell not!"

"Because however deserving of death Garth may be, he is still a part of this coven and as such our laws strictly state that we are not permitted to kill one another."

"Fine I'll just give the philistine a proper thrashing then!"

"Though I would enjoy that greatly, you are still far too young to hold your own against a vampire his age, it would not end well my dear. Besides, now is not the time for such things, we have important matters to attend to…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

In no time all of the vampires were gathered in the master ballroom of the castle, Lemora was the last to enter carrying a great golden chalice that contained Dracula's ashes. She set it down in the center of the room as they all gathered round and cut their wrists with their own vampire claws. They each in unison dripped into the shining cup while speaking an ancient mystical chant in Latin that had long ago been lost to the memory of mortal men.

All the while Abby watched from one side of the room having been fortunate enough to be permitted to witness this primeval sacrament.

When they were finished they slowly backed away from the glimmering goblet as billowing red smoke began to erupt from it. In the skies above Castle Dracula storm clouds seemingly appeared out of nowhere as thunder roared and lightning flashed across the night sky.

The very foundations of the castle itself began to quake and rumble as Abby looked about her with obvious concern, wondering if the entire place was about to come down around her ears.

But a few moments later it all subsided and with an intense blast of fire that plumed up into the air above the cup the red smoke at last began to assume a specific form. When it finally faded there was someone standing directly over the mug…Count Dracula…lived again.

He was an Imposing figure, standing well over six feet tall in his black frock coat and red lined cape, his eyes were piercing, hypnotic. Every vampire present fell to one knee in respect and servitude before their sire…all except for Garth, who had positioned himself behind Dracula. He then reached into his cloak and pulled something out, a knife of some kind. With it in hand he lunged!

"Look out!" Abby screamed as Dracula spun around at the last second to catch Garth's stabbing hand with his own as his other quickly shot out around Garth's neck with crushing force.

The other vampires abruptly stood back up in shock with eyes full of disbelief.

The very tip of the blade that Garth had tried to use barely touched the skin on Dracula's left wrist, but whatever it was comprised of it burnt far worse than silver or holy water, it was clear what Garth's intention was. The dark lord applied even more pressure to Garth's hand until he practically crushed the bones in it causing him to drop the blade as he cried out in pain.

"You dare Garth? You seek to destroy me? Bah! You were never anything more than a pathetic wretch!" Dracula boomed as he forced the much younger vampire down upon his knees with ease.

"You deserve no less," Garth struggled to speak through his master's vise-like grip, "You, as well as everyone in this coven never showed me anything but contempt, you all deserve to die!" He stammered hatefully.

Dracula's response was to release Garth just long enough to give him a backhand that sent him smashing clean through the wall of the ballroom and into the adjacent study. Garth knew he stood no chance as he quickly threw himself through a window and flew as fast as he could as far as he could from the castle. Dracula started to follow after him when Abby suddenly caught his eye. In an instant he was upon her and she found herself being lifted off the floor in his merciless stranglehold.

"You are the offspring of Garth! I can smell his taint running through your veins!" Dracula seethed with rage as Abby fought futility against his unbreakable grasp.

"Master please-" Lemora tried to speak.

"Be silent!" He cut her off, but she dared to speak further.

"She saved your life!"

"Have you forgotten already my child that the concepts of life and death do not apply to me? Did this incantation not prove that? I would expect better of my first born." Dracula reminded her as he continued to choke Abby. Though it was true that vampires did not need to breathe he was still practically crushing her neck and causing her great pain.

"Perhaps not this time my lord." Tesla said as Dracula turned his head in his direction to see Tesla picking up the knife that Garth had tried to use and scrutinized it closely, " I recognize this blade. Not visually mind you, but I have read of it. Legend tells of a knife that can kill demons but its origins are a mystery. I do know this, it is considered priceless, the vampiric/demon equivalent of the holy grail. However Garth came into possession of it, I am sure that it was not cheap."

It was then that Abby realized that it must have been what Garth had purchased in the town they had docked at when they first came ashore.

"But we are vampires." Marie spoke up.

"Yes, but technically we are still demons, we carry an aspect of it within each of us and it surfaces whenever we must feed. I should know, I studied vampires for years back when I was still mortal." Tesla explained.

"What does all of this mean in regards to the knife?" Lemora asked.

"I've never heard of anything being stabbed with this knife ever coming back again."

Dracula paused for a moment, looking over at Lemora and then back at Abby. Then finally…he dropped her to the floor.

"I should kill you where you stand simply for being Garth's progeny. But Lemora, though she chooses to speak out of turn is nonetheless correct. You did save me. Therefore, I shall be merciful. But as the spawn of Garth you are hereby banished from my sight, never again to return to Castle Dracula, is that understood?"

"Yes." Abby weakly muttered.

"Sire, please, let me help her." Lemora implored.

"You test the limits of my leniency Lemora."

"Master, she hates Garth even more than you, does that not make her deserving of your favor?"

"Very well." He relented as Lemora quickly rushed off to the library.

When she returned she had a piece of parchment in her hand that she then gave to Abby.

"What is this?" Abby asked.

"A magic spell that I transcribed from one of the tomes in the library. A spell that will sever the bond between you and Garth and also hide you from him." She told Abby as she looked up at her utterly awestruck, "The things you need for the spell should be easy to come by."

"I…I don't know what to say." Abby stuttered.

"Thank you will suffice." Lemora suggested.

"Thank you." Abby expounded with genuine feeling, the thought of being free of Garth was like a fantasy that she never would've believed could come true, yet she now held the means to do so in her very hands.

"Fare thee well little one." Lemora said with a smile as Abby nodded and then turned away.

She then departed out the front gate and took off into the night.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Vampires who appeared or were mentioned in this tale besides Abby, Garth and Dracula...

Lemora(Lesley Gilb) Lemora: A Child's Tale Of The Supernatural 1975

Count Armand Tesla(Bela Lugosi) Return Of The Vampire 1944

Shin Kishida(vampire had no name, used actor name instead) Lake Of Dracula 1971

Marie(Anne Parillaud) Innocent Blood 1992

Count Yorga(Robert Quarry) Count Yorga, Vampire 1970

Count Karol de Lavud(German Robles) El vampiro 1957

Miriam Blaylock(Catherine Deneuve) The Hunger 1983


	2. The House Of Hammer part 1

THE HOUSE OF HAMMER part 1

X

X

Sometime in 1872.

Somewhere in Berkshire England.

Within the halls of a dark foreboding fortress two sinister individuals briskly walked down a circular staircase towards the lower levels of the manor that they currently resided and worked in. One was aged with silver hair, wearing a short brown frock coat and tweed trousers. Upon his face were a pair of spectacles. He was accompanied by a younger man of significant physical stature in a dark blue ditto suit and woolen breech pants. Their outward appearance proposed a rather stark contrast to their surroundings. Once they had reached the bottom of the winding stairs the older man took the lead as they proceeded towards a heavy iron door at the far end of a hall. Arriving at the door the senior of the two produced a key that unlocked said door as it opened slowly with an eerie creaking sound. They walked into what appeared to be a dungeon of some sort fashioned from stone. Twas another long corridor that now stretched out before them. On one side were cells with iron bars, while on the other were mounted torches that illuminated the otherwise dark and dreary chamber. As they walked up to the first cell the eldest of the two finally spoke.

"This is where I keep the specimens. They are to remain locked up here at all times unless I need them for my work. Now pay close attention to what I say, is that understood, Adrian?"

"Yes Doctor Frankenstein."

The occupant of the first cell slowly lumbered forward letting a haunting moan, he was draped in a monk's robes and his face and hands showed signs of significant decay along with apparent burns.

"This is the zombie, the only surviving specimen that was created by an aboriginal cult that recently came here to England. They were all thought to be destroyed in a fire, but I found this one pinned beneath the rubble and wreckage of the oubliette that they had been kept in. Aside from its ability to function as a corpse it has no special abilities or weaknesses that differ from a normal human being." Frankenstein told him as they continued on to the next cell.

With a snake-like hiss a reptilian creature with a feminine build backed into one corner of her cell.

"This is the reptile woman, thought to have burned to death in a fire in Cornwall, but it managed to escape only to be paralyzed by the cold. She was one of the easiest to bring here. It has a highly venomous bite, strength seems to increase in warmer temps, obvious weakness is vulnerability to cold temperatures."

As they stepped over to the next cell it's dweller lunged with an insane howl as it attempted to reach through the bars to attack its captors. Startled by the lunge Adrian tripped backwards and fell, but Victor paid it no mind.

"This is the werewolf, my previous assistant was killed while trying to capture this one. Legends of this creature have persisted throughout Europe for some time, it was only a matter of time before I found one. Has incredible strength and healing abilities, only known weakness appears to be silver. When the full moon passes it returns to its human form."

The next cell's captive was the antithesis of the werewolf as it lie completely unmoving upon a table. On the table was an ancient mummy wrapped in bandages. If standing upright he would have been well over six feet tall.

"Good Lord." Frankenstein's new assistant muttered aloud.

"This is the mummy, Kharis. He was brought here a short time ago by an Egyptian priest looking to exact revenge for the desecration of the mummy's tomb in Egypt. The priest was eventually killed and Kharis sunk into a swamp thought to be lost forever, but I salvaged him."

"I heard stories of this thing. Dangerous it is."

"Not in its current state. Without speaking the ancient texts that restore life and movement to its body it is nothing more than a corpse, but one that I can still study and learn from nonetheless. It is immortal , has tremendous strength, no known weaknesses."

The following cell was very different compared to previous ones, for it was completely enclosed, no iron bars, just solid walls and a wrought iron door instead.

"Here is where I keep the gorgon."

"Why is this cell sealed off?"

"Because the gaze of the gorgon alive or dead has the power to turn any living thing to stone. Ancient Greek legend tells of three gorgon sisters. They were Persephone, Megara, and Medusa. Myth tells us that Medusa was slain by the warrior Perseus, but which of the two remaining gorgons I have here I have yet to discern. Only known way to kill it is to behead it, but even then its gaze is still deadly."

"How did you manage to obtain this one?"

"A substantial amount of money paid to a trained monster hunter. That…and this." The doctor said pulling a vial out of his pocket containing a strange liquid.

"What is it?"

"A powerful sedative known as Curare, derived from a South American plant known as Strychnos toxifera. Archaic tribesmen used blowguns with darts tipped in it to hunt their prey. We have made use of it in a like-wise manner. The dosage we are using on these abnormalities would kill a full grown man easily but serve as nothing more than a tranquilizer for the specimens. When dealing with the gorgon you will fire a dart through this small slot in the door, pay heed to where her body falls after she is rendered unconscious, for you will have to enter the cell blindfolded for your own safety when taking samples from her."

"I see." The assistant spoke as they stepped up to yet another cell.

"And here is our most recent acquisition. I managed to apprehend this one myself."

"But…it looks to be nothing more than a young child."

"Do not let her innocent looking exterior fool you. She may have the appearance of a twelve year old girl, but what you are looking upon is actually a vampire. I followed a string of recent murders in the area involving murderers and thieves and other unsavory sorts that eventually led me right to her. It would seem that she was governed by some manner of self-righteous inclination that dictated who she fed upon. Targeting the dregs of society as it were."

"Why is she covered in blood?" Adrian asked taking notice of her deep red stained sundress.

"An odd tale that is. Though I am a man of science, working with these monsters has forced me to entertain certain supernatural possibilities. When I first tried to bring her through the front doors she began to bleed profusely. As a result she came out of her unconciousness and began screaming as she sprang from my arms. I then remembered the old legend that dictates that a vampire can not enter a person's home uninvited. As soon as I spoke the invitation the bleeding stopped. But I had to pump two more darts into her to bring her down again before she could fully regain her senses. Possesses great physical strength, healing, speed, agility, hyperactive sensory perception and can even fly. Weaknesses are sunlight, and an aversion to holy implements such as crosses and holy water. Can also be killed via beheading and with a wooden stake through the heart."

"And the purpose of all this?"

"As you know my experiments have dealt with the process of creating life from death, but I have often met with failure. These creatures possess abilities that will finally give me what I need to succeed. Strength, healing, enhanced senses, immortality, just to name a few."

"What if outsiders were to learn of this place, or what we are doing here?"

"That will not happen if we are cautious. Do not let potential fears worry you. Try to focus on our work and what we will accomplish. Your own amateur fledgling experiments at one time mirrored my own, and we shall prove all those who scoffed at us and call us mad wrong, you have my word. This time, we will succeed." The Baron swore before turning and leaving with his companion following close behind.

"I wouldn't think that you would remain in England after everything that has happened doctor. You have become the most despised man in the entire country. How many times have you supposedly died now? You've become quite the escape artist, John Maskelyne would be proud." Adrian put forth as they entered the laboratory.

"That does not concern me, only my work…our work matters." Frankenstein responded as he turned with a half smile to Adrian.

"I'm glad you corrected yourself there at the end doctor. I know that you've had many assistants over the years but I hope to be the most useful to you."

"We shall see Adrian, we shall see."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Abby awoke with a start, her head spinning as she abruptly sat up. She immediately regretted her sudden movement, a wave of nausea came over her as she practically fell back over again. As she lie there she let her eyes do the moving for her as her vision began to clear. She appeared to be in a cell of some kind. On the floor beneath her was a bed of straw, to her left were iron bars with the remaining three sides of her enclosure fashioned from stone. There was momentary confusion, but a few moments later everything came back to her.

She had been stalking a potential victim, a serial rapist. She was following after him through a cemetery. He turned a corner round a mausoleum and she followed, but was confronted by someone else who then held up a strange looking pole. Before she could register what was happening she was hit with something that made her fall asleep, that was the last thing she could recall.

But what had happened? Where was she now?

Abby sat back up but slower this time. She got to her feet and moved towards the iron bars as she gripped them tight. With her vampire strength it would be a simple matter to bend them and then esca-…but wait…something was wrong. As she pulled upon them she discovered that they were not bending. For reasons she could not understand, she was not at full strength. She peered out through the bars as best she could, it looked as if she were in a dungeon of some sort, dimly lit with torches mounted along the walls. She attempted to utilize her vampire senses but they seemed somehow diminished as well. Perhaps whatever she had been put to sleep with was still affecting her in some fashion. Nevertheless she tried. Despite her weakness she could detect the scents of other strange creatures around her. She couldn't tell what exactly they were, but she knew enough to know that whatever they were, they were not human. But then she gasped as she looked down finally realizing that she was covered in dried blood, it would seem that she was at first brought in here without being invited in, but that had been quickly remedied thankfully, otherwise she may have never awakened. Just then she heard the sound of an opening door followed by footsteps.

Adrian then walked by stopping for a moment to regard Abby.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Who I am isn't important to the likes of you."

"Please let me go."

"Not likely, I know what you are. Hard to believe that a precious little thing like you has been ripping out throats and has enough strength to tear a full grown man apart."

"Please, I beg you."

"Not going to happen." He said dismissing her as he continued past her to a different cell.

But he was unprepared for a sudden lunge from whatever unspeakable horror resided in the cell he had stepped up to as a hideous malformed hand grabbed hold of his coat collar through the bars. In the struggle he dropped the key he had brought with him as it slid across the floor towards Abby's cell. In the meantime Adrian managed to use the same blowgun that Frankenstein had used to put the attacking fiend down. After it had collapsed and he was sure it was safe to enter, he went inside and took a tissue sample from the beast. He then stepped back out and walked over to where the key had fallen, glaring at Abby briefly before relocking the cell he had just been in. But when he turned back around Abby's cell door was wide open and she was racing down the hall.

"No!" Adrian yelled giving chase.

Victor was just as surprised when Abby suddenly burst through into the lab as the small vampire rushed by him.

"What the devil? Adrian!"

Abby bolted out the main gate and into the night as both Victor and Adrian ran out after her. She decided to chance a flight in an attempt to elude her abductors as she took off into the sky. She quickly discovered however that the normally graceful prowess that benefited her was not with her this night as she veered wobbly this and way and that through the air barely being able to control herself.

Adrian leveled the dart gun at her carefully as she flew off, and just before she swooped down behind some tree cover he fired off a shot but missed. It hardly mattered however, the neurotoxin that was still in her system was taking its toll. Once again she had overexerted herself too quickly as she began to lose altitude crashing through several tree branches in a blind daze. But still she powered through flying as hard and as fast as she could under the circumstances, eventually she flew beyond their sight.

"Damn!" Victor cursed, "What happened?" He asked Adrian angrily.

"I was struggling with one of the other creatures downstairs and dropped my key in the process. She must have grabbed it and used it."

"Go! Find her!"

"Of what consequence is her escape? You already collected several blood and tissue samples did you not? What more do you need?"

"You fool! If the local villagers spot her and see that she came from this direction they'll believe a new vampire nest has taken root and come in masse to burn this place to the ground! Now go! Put an end to her and do not return until you have, is that clear?"

"Yes doctor."

Meanwhile a semiconscious Abby finally succumbed to her hindered condition as she plummeted to the earth below. Blackness took her before the ground had a chance to rush up and greet her with a brutal embrace.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Abby had no idea what she would find when she awoke, or if she ever would again, but what she did end up seeing was a surprise to say the least.

"Hello? Hello?" A faint voice said as her eyes slowly fluttered open only to see nothing but strange blobs and odd shapes.

Finally though her vision cleared as she looked up to see what appeared to be small child, a little girl to be exact, who couldn't have been more than five. She had wavy auburn hair similar to Abby's and was in navy colored dress. Abby looked around herself and became aware that she was in a bedroom of sorts. A brief moment of panic overtook her as she suddenly found herself wondering if she had been invited in, but looked down to see that her clothes had no more blood upon them than what she had before. A familiar question entered her mind...where was she now?

"Mama! Mama! She's awake, the little angel's awake!" The child shouted scampering out the door of the bedroom.

_"Little angel?" _Abby thought with bewilderment as the girl then returned with whom Abby presumed was her mother, a pretty brunette haired woman in a red dress and white blouse that had the countenance of someone in their mid thirties.

"Why hello, I see you are finally awake. You had us worried for a while." The older woman told her.

"Whe-where am I?" Abby asked, still somewhat groggy from the drug coursing through her system.

"You are in the upstairs loft of the Laughing Dragon tavern on the outskirts of the village of Windsor. This is where I sometimes sleep after a hard day's work and I find myself too tired to make the walk home."

_"A pub? It made sense now, that's why she didn't need an invitation." _Abby comprehended.

"How do you feel?" The woman asked.

"Still groggy."

"Do you need some water or some food perhaps?"

"N-no. I'm fine thanks. Who are you?" Abby questioned.

"I am Esmeralda, barmaid of the green dragon and this is my daughter Penelope."

"Mama? Is the little angel going to be okay now?" The child asked.

"Why does she keep calling me that?" Abby inquired as Esmeralda let out a slight laugh.

"Well, I know this is going to sound silly but my daughter swears to me that she saw you fall out of the sky outside," She said with another chuckle, "Ah how I love my little Penelope, she has such a wondrous imagination."

"I see."

"She's been doting on you like a nursemaid ever since we brought you up here and has barely left your side." Esmeralda explained as she looked down at her suddenly very bashful daughter who hid behind her mother with a slight blush.

"Thank you." Abby said as Penelope's face reddened all the more.

"I think she likes you." Her mother observed.

"What? Me?"

"Well, there aren't any other children around these parts and I know that she tends to get dreadfully lonesome sometimes. Speaking of which, do you live around here?"

"Um, no."

"Hmmm, well I've been asking around downstairs to no avail, I was hoping that you could tell me more. What happened to you? How did you end up where we found you?"

"I uh…don't remember." Abby lied regretfully.

She hated doing that, especially with people who were actually trying to help her, but the less they knew about her the better she figured.

"Goodness gracious. Well lets hope that your memory returns to you soon so that we can figure out where you belong. You can stay the night here, you obviously need the rest."

"No!" Abby blurted out as she tried to sit up only to watch the room start spinning around her as she toppled back over.

"See, you're in no shape to be going anywhere, and besides it's no trouble at all." Esmeralda said as she started to turn to leave, "I'll be back to check on you again soon, in the meantime, Penelope will keep an eye on you." She finished as she headed back downstairs.

After she left Penelope began to stare at her long and hard in a manner that only a curious child could, it made Abby feel somewhat awkward, she didn't like being stared at.

"Did it hurt?" The child asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Did it hurt?" She asked again more assertively.

"Did what hurt?"

"When you fell from Heaven?"

"Penelope, I'm afraid you're wrong about me, I didn't fall from Heaven."

"But I saw you flying, you are an angel aren't you? You have to be."

"No."

"Then what are you?" The girl asked as Abby turned her head on the pillow looking away from her.

"I'm…something else."

Downstairs…

"You say you're looking for a little girl?" The bar owner spoke.

Adrian had just arrived at the local saloon, hoping that someone may have spotted the child vampire without necessarily knowing what she was. The man with whom he was speaking was one Tom Bailey, a middle aged man with short dark hair and a mutton chop beard. When Adrian had first entered, all activity in the alehouse had ceased. Residents here didn't take too kindly to strangers, and had a habit of making them feel unwelcome. But once the beautiful Esmeralda danced by with a tray full of brews they seemed to forget all about the drifter.

"Yes, she is my daughter, she ran away from home I'm afraid, she is rather rebellious and headstrong for her age." Adrian lied convincingly.

"Well I'd say that you're in luck stranger. Esmeralda!"

"Yes?" She replied rushing over from across the room with her now empty tray in her hands.

"That young girl that you found outside and took upstairs?"

"What about her?"

"This is her father, he has come to collect her, apparently she's a runaway. Would you be kind enough to escort him upstairs?" The barkeep said as he looked back at Adrian.

"Oh thank heavens, of course I would." Esmeralda answered with great relief.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

When they reached the top of the steps and Adrian saw Abby lying upon the bed he quickly drew his sword.

"What are you doing?" Esmeralda asked as Abby sat up.

"Time to die little leech." Adrian hissed.

"What in God's name?" Esmeralda blurted out as Adrian lunged forward swinging the sword.

Abby barely dodged in time rolling off the bed as the blade sliced the pillow in two sending a flurry of feathers into the air.

"Mommy!" Penelope cried out in a mixture of fear and confusion.

Esmeralda rushed over to her daughter as Adrian went on the attack yet again with another wild swing meant to behead her. Abby ducked it but with allot less speed than she normally would. But she didn't avoid a stiff kick to the face that sent her falling backwards upon the floor. He heaved back for another swing but was suddenly hammered from behind with a broomstick by Esmeralda.

"Don't you dare hurt her you monster!"

"Fool woman!" He scowled backhanding her away, "She isn't a mere child, she's a vampire!"

Just then experiencing a brief surge of adrenaline, Abby bounded forward tackling Adrian into a wall with a vicious snarl. She firmly gripped the sides of his head in an attempt to crush it, but the strength just was not there. He then planted both of his feet hard into her torso knocking her away as her head collided with the bed's headboard stunning the already disoriented vampire for a moment as he sprang back up.

But before he could capitalize on the maneuver Esmeralda tried to grab his sword arm.

"Let go wench!" He spat pushing her against the wall as he drew his weapon back, "I should kill you just for getting in my way!"

But at the last second as he thrust the saber forward little Penelope threw herself into its path. It slid into her as if she were made of warm butter.

"Penelope!" Esmeralda screamed.

Adrian meanwhile was just as shocked, he was no stranger to murder or violence, but he had never harmed or killed a child before. He backed away as his scimitar pulled out of her, understandably shocked at his own actions. But in his moment of distraction he was unaware of a shadow looming up behind him with a pair of glowing eyes.

Before he even knew what was happening Abby was upon him, her teeth buried deep in his neck as she latched onto his back. He screamed and struggled in a panic but found himself unable to pry her off. As she drank deeply she could feel her full strength returning and the poison that she had been afflicted with being purged from her body. Eventually Adrian collapsed as Abby continued to feed, his once strong and virile protests having now been reduced to weak kicks and twitches as the last of the life sustaining fluid was drained from his frame.

When Abby was finally finished she placed her hands on the sides of Adrian's head and gave it a sharp twist breaking his neck. As she slowly stood back up Esmeralda looked on with utter horror.

"Oh my God." She muttered.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

"He-he was right, you are a vampire!"

Abby then shifted her gaze down to Penelope's lifeless form.

"Is she?"

Esmeralda's only response was to begin to sob, her beautiful daughter was indeed dead.

Abby felt herself growing angry, she knew she was partially to blame for this, but she also knew where the blame truly lied.

"Don't let them do anything with her body until I get back." Abby said.

"What?" Esmeralda responded with bewilderment as Abby turned away, she could hear footsteps racing up the stairs…guess there was only one way to go. With all of her renewed strength Abby smashed up through the roof of the tavern and up into the night sky…she was heading back to Frankenstein's castle.

It was then that Tom appeared in the doorway with several of the bar's patrons behind him. They all gasped at the aftermath of the carnage.

"Merciful heaven, what happened here?" He spoke with considerable alarm.


	3. The House Of Hammer part 2

THE HOUSE OF HAMMER part 2

X

X

And at that very moment, back at the castle…

Dr. Frankenstein had just thrown the switch of his ungodly contraption that would he hoped bring life to his creation. The sounds of charging electrodes, bubbling chemicals and all manner of mechanical clattering and caterwauling filled the laboratory. A device as warped and unholy as the mind that had crafted it and incomprehensible to all but he.

Meanwhile down below, in the cell that contained the body of Kharis, the ancient Egyptian cadaver began to stir, proving that it was not nearly as dead as Frankenstein would have liked to believe. It took but an instant to take in its surroundings as it rose up and then shuffled forward. With little effort it tore down the cell bars before it. The doctor would have heard the commotion if not for the noise being generated in his lab at that very moment. But the mummy wasn't the only creature stirring. The werewolf had regained much of its strength. It required regimented doses of Curare to keep it in check, but the demented doctor had been so caught up in his experiment upstairs that he had lost track of time. And watching Kharis walk by its cell only served to further agitate the lycanthrope as it pushed and pulled at its restraints with a savage fury. Furthermore, when the mummy had broken free of its containment, it had done significant damage to the cell next to it…which contained the gorgon.

Back in the lab the mad doctor watched carefully as he began to see the faintest first signs of life in his handiwork, thusly he shut down the machine. It slowly sat up from the slab that it rested upon, being too hideous to even begin to describe. As it came fully around and began to take in its surroundings it looked down at its own hands, its expression a mixture of mortification and befuddlement.

"Welcome back to the world of the living Professor Bronston." Victor proclaimed with almost ghoulish pride.

Professor Bronston was a recently deceased physicist who had died but days ago, Victor had been eyeing his tomb like a hungry hawk ever since.

Then…he began to speak.

"L…li…liiiiffffeeee. I…I…liiiivvveee."

"Yes, thanks to my genius." Frankenstein touted.

"Wh-who…are…you?" It said turning its head as its speech patterns began to become more coordinated.

"I am Doctor Victor Frankenstein."

"Frank-en-stein?"

"Yes."

"What…have you done?" He asked as he slowly slipped off the table and stood upright at well over six feet tall.

"Created life from death! That is what I have done!"

"No…no this cannot be. This isn't right. I was…dead."

"No longer."

"You have spat in the face of God!"

"Oh please professor! We are men of science, we are not slaves to petty religious superstition."

"What have you done to me?"

"What have I done? I've given you a miraculous gift! You were once a dying frail old man! Now you possess incredible strength, healing and immortality! Culled from the genetic material of various superhuman beings to create the ultimate life form!" Victor boasted as Bronston slowly picked up a metal tray meant for surgical tools and gazed at his reflection in it…he did not recognize what was there, and more so…what he saw horrified him.

"Gift! GIFT?" He bellowed as he threw the tray down, "You wrenched me from God's kingdom and transformed me into a MONSTER!" Bronston screamed as he turned and smashed the table he had been resting upon in two with his bare hands.

"Please professor, calm yourself! There will be a need for adjustment of course, but what you have gained is far greater than what you have…what's wrong?" Frankenstein asked as he watched Bronston clutch at the sides of his own head as if he were in great pain.

"Something…is…wrong." He stammered as he fell to his knees.

What neither of them realized was that the professor's will was being suffocated by that of the murderous creatures that he had been amalgamated with. His mind was simply too weak to resist them, and with an inhuman wail his brain transformed into primordial jelly. Professor Bronston was once again for all intents and purposes dead…now only the monster remained. As it stood back up Victor could see it in it's eyes as it started to walk towards him with its arms outstretched.

"No, no! Stay away!" Frankenstein bellowed as he turned to flee only to be confronted by another abomination…the mummy Kharis.

"Impossible!" The mad doctor shrieked in disbelief.

He leapt aside as Kharis reached for him, but once the two behemoths locked eyes with one another they both decided that they were the greatest mutual threat to one another as they lumbered towards each other.

As the two giants clashed Victor made a beeline for the main gate, but something cut him off before he got there. A tiny form came crashing through a window to his right, Abby.

"You!" He exclaimed taking a step back, "Where is Adrian?"

"As dead as you're going to be.", She snarled in a demonic voice, "A child is dead because of you, now it's your turn." She threatened.

But before she could pounce upon him something else barreled into her, the werewolf, it had finally smashed its way out of the dungeon. Frankenstein rushed past them to the gate as another battle ensued. Meanwhile Frankenstein's monster and Kharis smashed through one wall after another destroying everything in their path as they fought. And as Abby and the werewolf tore into one another, several chemicals were knocked the floor as glass shattered and the volatile elements started a fire in the lab. Abby and the werewolf ripped deep gashes into each other's flesh, but as they separated and circled one another their wounds healed almost instantly. The fight between them could've went on all night if not for the intervention of another monster. The werewolf suddenly stopped in its tracks and lifted its head up as if looking past Abby, or more to the point behind her. It then managed to let out one final howl before abruptly turning to stone. It then fell over and shattered into several pieces upon the floor. Abby then became aware of a shadow looming up behind her, after what had happened to the werewolf she knew full well what it was. She could hear the hissing of snakes as it drew ever closer.

Abby was terrified, she had no desire to end up as the werewolf. If she were still capable of biological functions her bladder would have released at that very moment. Though she had never before encountered one, Abby knew well the legend of the gorgon and what it could do. She only had one chance for survival. She closed her eyes tight as she let her other senses work for her. The footsteps told her that it was now standing directly behind her, she could suddenly feel a powerful psychic presence within her mind telling her to turn around and face the gorgon, but she resisted. Her leg muscles coiled as she waited for the last possible moment to strike. She then spun around leaping simultaneously as one swipe of her right hand beheaded the foul thing. The gorgon's headless body then toppled over.

Abby looked around for the baron but saw no sign of him, but before she could act the mummy Kharis came crashing back through another wall into the lab. As strong as the undead Egyptian was, Frankenstein's abomination was far stronger. With the mummy momentarily down, the monster turned its attention to Abby as it picked up a massive stone slab in an attempt to crush her as it threw it. Abby however dodged easily as it pressed its attack, she had no intention of trying to test her strength against it, it appeared to be more than powerful enough to even rend her limb from limb. As it swung one of its massive arms at her it smashed through one of the castle's primary support beams as the ceiling above them began to give way. With all the damage done to the surrounding walls the fortress' structural integrity had been severely compromised, it could take no more. Abby bolted out through the window she had came through earlier at the last possible second as the entire room collapsed. Both Frankenstein's creation and whatever monstrosities remained within were buried under several tons of flaming debris. Abby flew far from the palace as she watched it burn and eventually implode. She then quickly returned her attention to the reason why she had returned in the first place as she sniffed the air.

Not too far away the baron was fleeing as far and as fast as he could on foot from the chaos he had wrought, but as he rounded a corner on a forest path, he found Abby standing before him.

"You didn't think you would escape that easy did you?" She menaced.

"Get away from me!" He shouted as he turned to flee only to find her standing before him again thanks to her amazing speed.

"You're going to pay for what you've done, the blood of an innocent child is upon your hands." She told him as she slowly walked towards him.

"Save your self righteous platitudes, coming from you they mean nothing! How many have died at your hands? Hundreds? Thousands?" Victor retorted as he backed away from her.

"I kill to live, I kill people like you." She growled.

"And do you think that changes anything? If you possessed even a fraction of the morality you claim to you would simply sit upon that grassy knoll over there and wait for the sun to rise."

"You are a mad man."

"And you are nonetheless a monster."

"Shut up."

"What? Is the truth too difficult to bear? Do you not wish to acknowledge what you are?" Frankenstein accused as Abby snarled, "You call me mad, yet you ravage the countryside like a rabid dog, you are a hypocrite, nothing more!" He went on as he slipped his right hand behind him reaching for something.

"You had a choice, and you chose to be killer."

"And yet my atrocities pail in comparison to yours. Tell me little one, what made you decide to hunt the scum of the Earth? Never met a vampire with a conscience, perhaps it is because once you took the life of someone not so evil?"

"NO!"

"Yes, that's it isn't it? I spent a great deal of time studying vampires and the lore associated with them before I captured you. When you first turn your thoughts are erratic and animalistic. All that matters is the hunger and the need to satisfy it! And who was your first victim may I ask? Someone close to you I'd wager, someone who would have invited you back in? A neighbor, a friend…or was it your family?"

Abby had heard enough, she lunged forward with an inhuman roar only to be splashed in the face some kind of liquid. Her skin began to burn. Frankenstein had hit her with some form of acid. In her moment of distraction Victor attempted to thrust a piece of wood through her heart but she caught his arm. She then snapped it in two as he screamed in pain. With his other hand he then produced a cross but she grabbed the hand that wielded it and then forced him to his knees before her.

"The cross, it, it does not burn you? But that's impossible! How?"

"Maybe because on this night, God sees where the evil truly lies." She expounded.

With one swift swipe of her left hand, Abby ripped the front of Victor's face clean off. His sinus cavity and frontal lobe came off with it in a rather grisly display. He then fell over onto the ground.

At long last, after years of terrorizing the English countryside, Baron Frankenstein…was finally and truly dead.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Back at the pub, Esmeralda had tried her best to explain what had happened considering her distraught state of mind, the locals were now on their guard.

"I knew there was something about that stranger that didn't seem quite right." One of the townspeople said as they picked up Adrian's body and carried it out of the room.

"Esmeralda?" Tom said forlornly looking down at her while the crying woman continued to cradle her wee lass, "Esmeralda? We need to take her out of here, the undertaker will be here soon."

"Not quite yet." A voice said suddenly causing those still in the room to look up.

There stood Abby, who had silently slipped back into the room.

"Get away from us you monster!" Tom warned as he and the others present took a defensive position around Esmeralda armed with everything from guns to farm implements.

"I'm sorry for what happened."

"Not as sorry as we are."

"I only want to help."

"You've helped enough."

Just then an overzealous patron charged forward with a wooden stake in hand, Abby however easily side stepped him, snatched it out of his hand and smacked him in the temple with the blunt end of it. He fell to the floor out cold.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm back at full strength now. If I wanted all of you dead you already would be, you know that by now."

"Your point?"

"Esmeralda's daughter is already dead, she stands to lose nothing by letting me try to help her."

"HOW! She's dead!"

"We'll see." Abby said lifting up a nap sack that she had brought with her.

"What is that?"

"The head of a gorgon. I salvaged it from the rubble of Frankenstein's castle."

"Frankenstein?" Tom said with surprise as everyone else present began chattering in a chorus of hushed voices.

"He was creating another monster, but something went wrong, he had me and several other creatures locked up in a dungeon for his experiments."

"What proof do you have of this?" One of the other villagers accused.

"Just a few miles outside of town, on the forest path that leads up to where his castle once was, you will find his body…what's left of it anyway." Abby answered.

"What is that thing again?" Tom asked.

"The head of a gorgon. Ancient mythological creature. Conflicting legends say that its blood can either heal or kill. It's time to find out which." Abby told her as she walked towards them.

"Why should I trust you?" Esmeralda finally spoke up as she lifted her head to look at Abby, her cheeks still moist and red with tears that refused to stop falling.

"Because you have nothing left to lose."

Esmeralda pondered Abby's words, and though she indeed had no reason to trust her, she also knew that she was right. She then reached up touching Tom's hand as he turned and looked down at her.

"Esmeralda no! You can't be serious?"

"If there's even the slightest chance…I have to. Without my daughter…I have no reason to live myself."

Tom exhaled deeply looking back and forth between Esmeralda and Abby, he then reluctantly nodded as he motioned for the men to step aside and allow Abby through.

"We warn you demon, any trickery and we will end you." Tom admonished her, but Abby ignored him.

With that Esmeralda laid Penelope's lifeless body down on the floor, Abby then held the still covered gorgon head over her letting its blood drip out of the open end of the bag and onto the child's body. For several moments, nothing happened, then suddenly there was a gasp from the young girl as Esmeralda watched in disbelief as her daughter's eyes slowly fluttered open.

Penelope then turned her head towards her mother from where she lay upon the floor.

"Mo-mommy?" She said with surprise as a very emotional Esmeralda scooped her up into her arms emitting happy sobs.

Everyone else present was in a state of shock, unsure how to react. Abby then slowly turned and began to leave.

"No wait!" Esmeralda called after her as Abby halted for a brief moment, "…thank you."

"Why?" Tom asked.

"Why what?" Abby replied.

"Why would you help her? Why would you even care? You are a vampire. You are evil…are you not?"

"I suppose I am…but I never asked to be." She said as she turned and looked back them before flying back up through the roof.

As she flew away Abby's thoughts dwelled on Frankenstein's words. Was he right? Was she just a monster, did anything she did matter? It haunted her. But for Abby there was no other choice, she was what she was and there was no way to undo it. Abby would go on, in the only way she knew how and could only pray that God could forgive her some day for her sins. With that she drifted off into the night and disappeared into the darkness.

The next night, Frankenstein's body was burned upon a funeral pyre, though the gesture was in no way meant to honor him. For a man who had supposedly died and had been laid to rest several times, the villagers were taking no chances, this time there would be nothing left. The local magistrate offered no objections and it was in fact his idea in the first place. The townsfolk in turn couldn't wait to rally behind it. There was no better fate for such a despicable man.

Watching quite some distance away from the onlookers was an outsider that was not a resident of Windsor. It was better that he did not reveal himself, if the locals saw him there would surely be a panic. He stood in a dark overcoat and hat that hid his features well.

But he wasn't the only one watching from the shadows.

"Come on out, I know you're back there." The man said not even looking over his shoulder.

With that, Abby walked out of the darkness to get a closer look at the man she had been spying on. She stared at him with both wonder and confusion that the stranger couldn't help but notice.

"Yes. I know. A startling resemblance, no?" He said to her.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Lawrence Van Helsing."

"Why do you look just like Frankenstein?"

"Because we were twin brothers. I was once a Frankenstein, but after my brother sullied our family name with his morbid experiments I had my name changed to Van Helsing."

"Van Helsing?" Abby said with sudden concern, "I've heard of you, you're a vampire hunter."

"Indeed I am."

"Are you here for me?"

"I'm supposed to be. But clearly this wouldn't be a good place for either of us to draw attention to ourselves now would it?"

"No, it would not."

"I'm also here for the same reason I assume that you are, to make finally sure that the baron is dead once and for all. An ally and I had come here to deal with my brother initially, but after my comrade spoke to the barmaid of the Laughing Dragon tavern, it would seem that you did our job for us. And afterward you used some kind of black magic to bring a dead child back to life. My question is this…why?"

"Frankenstein was to blame for everything that happened, to them and to me. I wasn't going to stand by and do nothing."

"Indeed? That's very interesting, I've never met a vampire with a moral disposition before."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you're a vampire. Vampires have no soul, no conscience, at least not any vampire that I've ever met. Could you please do something for me?"

"What?"

"Hold out your hand."

Abby seemed hesitant at first but eventually complied. Van Helsing than poured water from a metal flask upon her palm, after which his eyes grew wide with surprise.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I just poured holy water on you, and you showed no reaction whatsoever. A vampire who cares about what happens to innocent people who holy water does not affect? What else can you do?"

"Frankenstein tried to use a cross on me last night, but it didn't work."

"Are you serious? What else? Can you walk in daylight?"

"No, the sun still burns me, and I cannot enter a house without being invited first."

"Most peculiar, I've never met such a being as you before. Just what kind of creature are you?"

Abby then slowly turned away before speaking.

"I'm not a creature, I'm not anything…I'm nothing." She said floating away as Van Helsing watched her leave.

Just a few short moments later Van Helsing's ally arrived on the scene.

"Is that her?"

"Yes."

"And you're letting her escape?"

"Be silent! We don't want the villagers to catch wind of this. Calm yourself Captain, here would not be the place to engage her anyhow."

Standing next to Van Helsing in his trademark garb and cape, was Captain Kronos.

"If I would have arrived sooner I could have dispatched her quietly without drawing attention to ourselves."

"Are you so sure my friend?"

"Of course, she's just another vampire."

"Of that…I am not so sure."

"What do you mean?"

"She is special Captain, in what way I am not precisely sure, but deep down I can just feel it."

"Nonsense, I think you let her visage of innocence sway you."

"My hand was upon the scabbard of my sword Captain, I could've swung at a moment's notice if not for the villagers. But even if they were not here I don't think I would have."

"And why in God's name is that?"

"The moment I looked upon her I felt a strange presence, as if the hand of God himself had came down from heaven and touched me. Resting his almighty hand upon my shoulder, telling me not to strike."

"Surely you jest my comrade." Kronos suggested as Van Helsing turned his head.

"Do I look like I am joking to you? And for that matter when have my instincts ever been wrong?"

"But even if what you say is true, she's still a vampire, still a killer."

"Tell that to the woman whose daughter she saved. And more so, have you been keeping track of who she's been killing? Men that you yourself would waste no time running through if you encountered them."

"So what does it mean?"

"I don't know, perhaps God has a special destiny for her."

"Why would God make use of an abomination such as her?"

"The Lord works in mysterious ways Captain, and it is not our place to question his will. Something in my gut tells me that this vampire has an important future. And whether she realizes it herself or not, she will play her part in God's plan…just as we all do. Come Captain, there's nothing else for us here." Van Helsing finished as he and Captain Kronos slowly walked away and out of sight.

END

Just to clarify for any hardcore Hammer fans that might be reading this. the Van Helsing who appears in this tale is the 1872 version from the prologue of 'Dracula 1972 A.D.', not the one from 'Horror Of Dracula'. The two films serve two different continuities.


	4. The Good The Bad And The Blood Sucker p1

Just wanted to warn readers that there's going to be some really bad grammar and spelling errors in this story on purpose. Some of the old west characters here in this tale don't have the best education/vocabulary, with the character Charles being chief among them. For example he never uses the word 'you', he just says 'ya'. Granted this along with other phonetically butchered words make his dialogue sound and read rather strange. Hopefully it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the story.

Also, the Jonah Hex who appears in this story is the movie version played by Josh Brolin, not the original DC comics character.

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THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE BLOODSUCKER part 1

X

X

The town of Saltillo Mexico, south of the Rio Grande

1881

Sunrise.

A man in his mid twenties with short black hair casually rolled into town on a carriage with a rather morbid cargo. Stuffed within it were the bodies of several outlaws that high bounties had been issued for by the local Sheriff of Saltillo. As the wagon came to a halt the driver in question hopped off and walked into the Sheriff's office. Said Sheriff was sitting behind a desk, he was a rather portly fellow with a bristled mustache who clearly hadn't missed too many meals. In the room with him was a young Deputy of Hispanic decent who was puzzling over some freshly printed wanted posters.

"How can we help ya son?" The Sheriff asked.

"Ya Sheriff Jacobs?" The visitor said with a heavy Southern accent.

"That I am."

"I'm here to collect the bounty."

"Which one pray tell?"

"The one ya issued for the Heverit gang."

"Really? Which one of em did ya get?"

"All of em." The stranger answered as the Sheriff gave an expression of disbelief that was matched by his Deputy who stopped to look up at the man from the paperwork he was going through.

"That seems rather...unlikely." The Sheriff challenged, "An entire posse was sent after em three weeks ago and none of em came back alive."

"If ya don't believe me come on out and take a look for yerselves." The man countered.

With that the Sheriff got up, the chair he had been sitting in offering a creak of protest under the large man's weight as if it were letting out a groan of relief. As he walked out the Deputy followed right behind him as they headed out to the wagon parked outside. The side door was swung open to reveal its gory payload. The Deputy had to turn and vomit off to the side.

"What in tarnation happened to this one's head? Looks like it been plum twisted all the ways around. " The Sheriff commented.

"And why does it look like a rabid dog ripped out this guy's throat?" The Deputy offered taking a look at another body as he regained his composure.

"Does it matter?" The stranger asked.

"This seems right unusual I figure." The Sheriff said.

"Wasn't nothin sayin nothin bout what condition the bodies be in. Poster just said dead or alive, am I right?'

"Well yes."

"Then I shall take my bounty and be on my way."

"Very well sir. Pay the man, Pablo."

"Hey, I know you senor, you be Charles Hardin." The Deputy suggested as he started to pull the bodies out of the wagon.

"That true?" The Sheriff asked.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Been makin quite a name for yerself these past few months it seems."

"Just makin a livin Sheriff." Charles responded, "Well?" He went on waiting impatiently to be paid.

With that the Deputy went inside and came back out with a wad of bills that he handed to the young man as he turned to leave.

"Hey, what's in the trunk?" The Deputy asked curiously finally taking notice of it now that the bodies had been cleared out.

"Nothin that matters." Charles said over his shoulder.

"Pleasure doin business with ya." The Sheriff called after him as he climbed back onto the wagon and snapped the reigns

_"Phew, that was a close one." _He thought with a sigh of relief as he headed towards the local Inn.

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Once at the Inn Charles lugged the trunk up a flight of steps to the room he had been given. He set it down outside the door and gave it a light rap.

"Hey Abbs? Abbs, ya asleep yet?"

"I almost was." She moaned from within the trunk.

"Sorry, but we be at the Inn and I gotta do the whole invite thing."

"I understand."

"Ya can come in." Charles said before sliding the trunk across the threshold of the doorway to the room.

Once inside and the door shut, Charles went about sealing off the only window the room had to keep the sunlight from entering. After that Abby hopped out, she proceeded to prepare several blankets in the cast iron bathtub of the bathroom.

"I don't reckon ya could take it a little easier on the bounties we collect in the future could ya? Don't like the questions they be askin when I bring em in."

"I'll try to keep that in mind." Abby said with a yawn.

"Here's yer share." Charles said handing her half of the reward money.

"Thanks." She said in a deadpan voice.

"Ya still messin with that strange little wood Indian puzzle ya picked up at the reservation?"

"Solved it already."

"Already? Land sakes girl ya got head on ya I'll give ya that. But then again the way ya talk ain't like no girl yer age I ever met before."

"I'm not like other girls."

"Well, I already know that. Don't ya worry Abbs, we'll show everybody."

"Show them what?"

"That we be something special. My daddy never said I'd mount ta nothin. But by God come Hell or high water we'll show em all. We'll go down in history as the greatest bounty hunters this country ever saw!" Charles gloated.

"You'll have to take the credit, I want no part of the public."

"And I thank ya kindly for that ma'am." Charles said tipping his hat to her.

"All I want is food and a safe place to sleep."

"Well, ya keep doin what ya do best and I'll see ta that, don't ya never mind or worry. We be rollin in money Abbs, we go anywhere we want and do what we want. Well, ya have yerself a nice nap, I'm off." He told her as he turned and walked back out.

Abby knew where he was going, he was off to the local brothel, Charles did this every time they got a fresh bounty. She decided to give it no further thought as she shut herself into the lavatory of the room where some blankets and quilts had been laid down.

Abby had only been back in the United States for a few years. This time she'd at least had the benefit of a steamship and the easier crossing it provided compared to the far more perilous clipper journey she had made with Garth to Europe a hundred years previous. Onboard these much larger vessels there were plenty of places for her to hide away from both the sun and any who learned of her presence as well as substantial feeding. On the voyage she had rationed her hunger by selectively targeting an Italian gang on their way to set up new enterprises in America on the East coast. Not a single one of them made it to shore. Once she had arrived she experienced a bit of culture shock though. When she had first left this land with Garth back in 1790, it was merely a collection of thirteen states and primarily an agrarian society. Now, the country had grown far larger with the acquisition of additional states, the industrial revolution and the west being blown wide open. She had also found that the people here were far less superstitious and unbelieving of the supernatural than the Europeans were, aside from certain Indian tribes of course. It made her need to hunt and feed far easier, and there were also plenty of undesirables for her to choose from, especially once she made her way west. So far, things had been good, or at least as good as her existence could be considered.

_"It can't last."_ She thought to herself pessimistically.

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Outside Charles walked with an extra little skip to his step as he strode towards the nearest house of ill repute as it were. And why wouldn't he feel this way, the wad of money that he currently had in his pocket was more than he had had in a long time. There was a time not too long ago when he barely had a penny to his name, but that was before he met Abby. As he thought back on it he couldn't help but reminisce.

It was about six months ago, Charles had walked out of a saloon in the small town of Stunk Crick with a death warrant on his head. He had made the mistake of beating a man named Big Sam Masterson in a poker game. Turned out he was an outlaw with a price on his head. A killer with a long trail of bodies and a short temper, as well as a rather sore loser. He had told Charles that he and his posse were going to kill him in two days time, they wanted to watch him squirm. They could pretty much do whatever they wanted, the local sheriff was beyond useless, too scared and drunk to even want to get involved. That night Charles tried to skip town, only to discover that one of Masterson's men was following him. With his right hand hovering over his gun holster he waited until they were well outside of town. But before he could act sudden screams from behind caused him to spin around.

What he saw terrified him beyond comprehension.

What looked to be a twelve year old girl was literally mangling the man that had been following him. The thug's attempt to draw his gun ended with a compound fracture of his right forearm. Now she was savaging his neck like a wild animal that was starving. Charles' mind couldn't fathom what he was seeing, it made no sense to him at all, it couldn't be real…and yet it was.

Every impulse in his body was shouting at him to run screaming for the hills leaving a trail of excrement behind him. But in the sea of irrational horror he was drowning in, the faintest flicker of a morbid but possible salvation came to him.

He stood there watching as Abby drank her fill. Afterward she gave his neck an effortless twist and let the body fall over.

_"Christ! Did she just break his neck?" _He thought to himself.

Abby then lifted her head up and glared at the Charles for a moment, who looked as if he were seconds away from losing control of his bladder, should she leave any witnesses? But then again, this man had seemingly done nothing wrong and she had managed to pounce upon her intended target. Besides, she knew no one would believe him even if he did tell. She began to turn to leave when…

"Wait!" Charles called after her.

Abby stopped for a brief moment, looking back over her shoulder at him.

"I wanna talk to ya."

Abby's expression became one of confusion, this was certainly a first.

"How did ya do that?" He asked taking several slow steps towards her, but she said nothing in return.

"Yeah, okay, I get it, ya don't know me and ya got no good reason to talk to me, but trust me when I say I got plenty reason to talk to ya."

Abby finally turned all the way back around.

_"Okay, I've got her attention, hopefully that doesn't mean she wants to have me for desert."_

"What do you want?" Abby asked finally.

"I saw what ya did there, ya ain't a regular type person are ya?"

"What of it?"

"I could use yer help."

"What? Why?"

"By tomorrow night I'll be a dead man. That guy ya just offed, he was part of a gang led by a man named Sam Masterson. The rest of his lot are comin to kill me somethin fierce."

"Why should I care?"

"Cuz I know who ya been goin after. Those recent kills in the neighboring towns, the ones bein blamed on wild dogs, that was ya doin, right?"

"Maybe."

"And they ain't folk that nobody goin to lose sleep over, killers, thieves and the like. Ya been doin a better job lately of cleanin up this part of the country than the law has."

"So?"

"If ya be killin bad folk, then whatever ya be ya can't be all bad yerself I wager."

"You know NOTHING about me."

"Not goin to fuss on that. But thing is I got a deal for ya."

"Deal? What are you talking about?"

"Maybe we could help each other?"

"How?"

"Ever think on bounty huntin?"

"No."

"Well, I get it, ya don't want people knowin what ya be. And even if ya didn't care ya wouldn't be able to get the bounties yerself anyways, that's where I come in. But before that, ya'd have at deal with Masterson's gang, but that's okay, they got good bounties on their heads too."

"Your crazy."

"Call it desperit. When a man be backed against a wall, ain't nothing he won't do I say."

"Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Hell yes! But I be more afraid a dyin. So…what's it goin to be?"

The next night saw Charles leading Masterson and his gang outside of town away from any would be witnesses. Just as they were about to draw their guns Abby swooped in and proceeded to gut every one of them. Afterward Charles suggested a partnership. They would track down wanted outlaws, Abby would kill them, Charles would collect the bounties and also serve as her daytime protector as they traveled from town to town living rather comfortably from the money they accumulated. In the process Charles was also getting a reputation for being one of the most feared bounty hunters of the southern plains.

But a sudden voice brought Charles back to reality.

"Charles Hardin!" The voice shouted at him as he began to cross the street.

Charles turned to see a man standing in the center of the street staring him down.

"Do I know ya?"

"No, but everyone will know me…once I kill you." The stranger said.

"I don't want no trouble mister."

"Well maybe I do. Prepare to draw your gun!"

Charles tried to keep a game face but was extremely nervous. He could shoot a gun alright, but if he was forced to go up against anyone with any real skill he was in a world of hurt and he knew it. This wasn't the first time he had been called out, but it was the first time thus far that it had happened during the day. Abby had come to his rescue in the past, she would be perched on a rooftop where no one else could see her. Then she would hiss or make some other kind of subtle sound to get the opposing gunman's attention in time for Charles to get the shot off, but that wasn't going to happen this time.

The stranger's right hand hovered over his holster as townsfolk cleared the streets. Charles gulped hard. There was no turning back now.

The silence for lack of a better or more oxymoronically incorrect term was deafening, nerve wracking. Tumbleweeds rolled in between the two men as people who had taken refuge inside of various stores and other establishments looked on.

"Is this it, is this how I am going to die?"

Charles pondered as sweat that had more to do with his precarious situation rather than the heat of day rolled down the left side of his forehead.

"Is there a problem here gentlemen?" Another voice suddenly said scaring the unholy Hell out of Charles as both gunmen looked off to their left.

Standing there in all of his grisly scarred glory was the legendary and feared bounty hunter…Jonah Hex.

"Jonah Hex?" Charles said with surprise.

He had never actually met the man before, just heard tales of him. And as frightening as those stories were, they clearly didn't do the intimidating figure now standing before them justice as he stepped forward.

"No problem, just lookin to make a name for myself is all." The stranger said.

"Hmmm, don't suppose you can wait about five minutes could ya?" Hex asked.

"Five minutes? What for?"

"I got a couple of questions for this fella if ya don't mind?" Jonah told him as he started walking towards Charles.

_"Jonah Hex wants to talk to me, oh this can't be good." _Charles pondered.

"Maybe I do mind? Maybe I'd make an even bigger name for myself putting a bullet into you Hex." The stranger boasted.

With that statement Hex stopped dead in his tracks. He then slowly turned his head in the direction of the other gunman.

"Yea…maybe." Hex replied.

The stranger then went for his gun, but Hex had already drawn and fired before the other man could even touch his sidearm. After that he dropped to the ground dead.

Though Charles was on one hand relieved that the duel was no longer going to happen, he suddenly had an entirely new problem on his hands as Hex then put his gun back in his holster and took the final few steps to reach Charles, now he was standing right in front of him. The locals didn't know what to expect next, so they stayed hidden for the moment.

"Charles Hardin I presume?"

"Ye-yeah." Charles stuttered, doing a poor job of keeping his composure.

"Heard about you bringing in the Canton brothers. Nice work there. I had planned on bringing them in myself though."

"Oh, we-well, the-there be plenty to go round right? Plenty more wanted men, enough for both of us. No-nothin wrong with that is there?" He spoke nervously.

"No, I reckon not." The former Civil War Vet began to say as he looked off to one side for a moment before looking back at Charles, "But I do find something funny though."

"O-oh, w-what's that?"

"How a feller like yourself, that no one had ever even heard of before six months ago, is now suddenly the bounty hunter that other bounty hunters fear. What's your secret, if ya don't mind me askin?"

"Se-secret? N-no secret. Just lucky I guess."

"Lucky…yeah. Or maybe…it's somethin else." Hex suggested as Charles mouth went dry.

"Yeah, well uh, next time if I end up on the trail of somebody ya got yer sights set on, I-I'll ask ya first. Th-that sound good?"

"Yeah, that sounds right hospitable of ya. More than I was led to believe you were capable of considering what ya do to most of the bounties ya bring in."

"Uh, y-yeah, I got a mean dog, he loves to mess with em." Charles lied unconvincingly.

"Yeah…so I've heard."

"Uh…thanks for saving my bacon just now."

"Oh, well, not to make ya feel bad, but I didn't really care one way or the other, he just happened to rub me the wrong way if ya know what I mean?"

"Oh, s-sure. Well uhhh…gee look at the time, I gotta go. It-it was a pleasure to me ya mister Jonah Hex sir." Charles stammered as he practically stumbled away tripping over his own feet.

"Most feared bounty hunter in the west…in a pig's eye." Hex mused.

Charles took care to walk in the exact opposite direction of the hotel he and Abby were staying at until he was out of sight, he then bolted back to it and then proceeded to barf in the lavatory.

Abby, who hadn't quite gone to sleep yet peeked from under the pile of blankets in tub.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"We might have trouble." Charles said wiping off his mouth as he stood back up.

"What kind of trouble?"

"Jonah Hex."

Though Abby usually didn't bother keeping up with news or current events, during their travels Charles had told Abby plenty, and especially about others in their line of work, chief among them being Jonah Hex.

During the American Civil War, Jonah Hex served as a Confederate cavalryman until his commanding officer, Quentin Turnbull, a general for the Confederates who was obsessed with the fall of the Union, ordered him to burn down a hospital. Hex refused, and was forced to kill his best friend, Turnbull's son Jeb. After the war, a vengeful Turnbull and his right-hand man, Burke, a psychopath who often takes pleasure in those he kills or torments, tracked Hex down, who had settled with a wife and son. They tied him up and forced him to watch as his house was burned down with his wife and son inside. Turnbull then branded Hex's face with his initials, "QT", and left him to die of thirst or exposure. Days later, Apache Indians found Jonah and revived him with their mystical powers. While they did manage to bring Jonah, for the most part, back from the dead, it was stated that they couldn't bring all of him back. As a result Jonah acquired the ability to, as long as he maintains physical contact with a corpse, temporarily resurrect and communicate with the dead, bringing the corpse physically and mentally back to its condition prior to death. Jonah began his hunt for Turnbull only to be fooled into believing that he had died in a hotel fire. With no proper outlet for his anger Jonah Hex became a bounty hunter, but years later he learned that Turnbull had faked his own death and was alive and well he finally tracked him down and took vengeance upon him. In the process he also stopped him from using a terrible new weapon that would've destroyed the United States as we know it. Afterward Hex returned to bounty hunting.

"Does he know?" Abby asked.

"I'm not rightly sure, but I know he smells somethin. We may have to leave sooner than we planned if that's okay with you?"

"Sure."


	5. The Good The Bad And The Blood Sucker p2

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE BLOODSUCKER part 2

X

X

Meanwhile, Jonah Hex headed to the local mortuary, where the bodies of the outlaws that Charles had just brought in currently were.

"Uh, I'm sorry senor, but I can't allow you to come in." The mortician attempted to protest as Jonah walked up.

One glare from Hex was all that it took to send the man scurrying away in fear as Hex went on inside. He strode up to a long table where one of the bodies currently lie and grabbed its hand. Instantly it seemingly came back to life as the man in question jolted back to consciousness with a terrible scream.

"Wait! What? Wh-where am I?" The corpse gasped.

"Well now, sounds like you was someplace mighty unpleasant." Hex assumed.

"I was in Hell!"

"Gee, I wonder why. Don't think it had to do with all those kids you killed or women you raped was it?" Hex mocked sarcastically.

"Who are you?"

"Name's Jonah Hex, and I need answers."

"Jonah Hex? Why should I tell you anything?"

"Find then I'll just let you head right on back to Hell then-"

"NO! I'll do anything, please don't send me back!"

"Talk!"

"I heard about you, how you can bring the dead back, never believed it. If I talk can you bring me back permanent?"

"…yes."

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"I want to know how ya died, what did this to you."

"It- it was a monster! It looked like a little girl at first, b-but it had these horrible teeth, I watched it rip out my brother's heart! And it's eyes…my God it's eyes!"

"So it wasn't Charles Hardin then at all?"

"What? No, he just sat back and watched while that thing killed us!"

Just then though, the talking corpse began to seemingly smolder as terrible burns started to appear on its body.

"Wh-what's happening to me?" he cried in pain.

"What I've done to ya, it ain't natural. Hell's fire is trying to reclaim ya from me." Hex explained as suddenly the echoing sound of a howl rang out.

"Wh-what was that?"

"Hellhound." Jonah told him.

"Not just any hellhound." A voice suddenly said as Jonah looked over his shoulder.

Standing there was a Scottish gentleman with short dark hair wearing a tartan waistcoat, a plaid kilt and ghillie shoes. Next to him was the hellhound in question. Normally hellhounds were invisible to humans, but because of Hex's supernatural nature he could see the terrible beat in all its horrifying glory. Even sitting it was well over five feet tall and was too grotesque to even begin to describe.

"Crowley." Hex greeted in a nonchalant manner that suggested that this was not the first time that they had met.

"Hello Hex."

"Nice dress."

"It's a kilt you Neanderthal."

"Well, that's nice." Hex said dismissively as he fired a shot from his gun into Crowley's chest causing him to stager back a few steps.

The hellhound barked and snarled as it started to move towards Jonah only to have Crowley call it off.

"Stay!" He commanded before turning back to Jonah, "I have you know I really liked this coat." He complained as he looked down at the hole that was now in it.

"Bit out of your jurisdiction aren't ya?"

"Hell doesn't have a jurisdiction sweetheart. We go where the deals are, I just signed one in Yokahama Japan with a man who wants to shag the Emperors wife. Business is good."

"So I hear, I also hear ya be working yer way up the demon ladder and such."

"Oh yes, soon you'll be able to call me 'king of the crossroads."

"I can think of a few other things to call ya."

"You're a joy as always Hex. Well are you about finished with him?" Crowley said referring to the man that hex had resurrected.

"He's one of yours?"

"Yes actually, sold me his soul about four years ago to save him from a gunshot wound he got during a bank robbery, he just got cashed in ahead of schedule. Alastair was in the middle of flaying him when you yanked him out from under us, that was very rude by the way. "

Hex then looked back at the desperate cadaver.

"N-no wait! You promised!"

"I lied." Hex replied bluntly releasing his hand as the body went dead once more and the hapless man's soul was sent screaming back to Hell.

"Pleasure as always." Crowley said before he and his hellhound vanished from sight.

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Jonah knew what he was up against now, what the dead man had described sounded like one of the ancient legend of the Apache Indians who brought him back. It was called Utlunta, the life drinker. It was a demon of the night who drank the life of men as the Indians said it. It didn't not age and possessed great strength that only continued to grow the longer it lived. It could fly and it had the senses of an animal. The only known ways to kill it were wood through the heart, chopping off its head and sunlight. Jonah knew everything that he needed to know except one thing…where it was. He headed to the local saloon to see if the locals knew anything only to learn that that Charles had just vamoosed clean outta town.

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Charles pushed the horses pulling the wagon as hard as he could as he snapped on the reigns. He knew that if Hex gave chase he would surely catch up to them unless he put an ungodly amount of distance between them. Unfortunately Hex was hot on their trail, and around midday he gained on them. Charles looked back over his shoulder to see the bounty hunter bearing down on them as he whipped the horses mercilessly hoping that he would somehow be able to coax an extra burst of speed out of them that they already hadn't given, but it was no use.

Hex rode up along side and drew his gun.

"Stop the wagon or I'll stop it for ya!" He yelled.

Charles knew better than to argue with the likes of Hex as he pulled hard on the reigns bringing the horses and the wagon to a stop finally.

With that Hex dismounted from his horse and motioned for Charles to do the same as he got down off the wagon.

"Where is she?" Hex demanded as he walked up to him.

"Wh-who?" Charles said shakily.

"Don't play dumb with me boy, the bloodsucker, is she in the wagon?" Hex said as he pushed past Charles and yanked open the side door of the carriage to see what appeared to be a large trunk, locked tight.

"Do you have a key?"

"Maybe."

Hex then grabbed Charles by his shirt collar and pulled him in close.

"Hand it over. Wait, ya know what, never mind." Hex said as he turned and drew one of his guns taking aim at the lock.

"No wait! Ya can't!" Charles protested trying to stop Hex as a stiff elbow to the face from the aged war vet knocked Charles to the ground.

Hex then fired as the lock obliterated. He then flipped the lid open to find…nothing. Jonah let out a slight huff of frustration that was followed by a low chuckle.

"Not bad kid, you baited me. But fun and games are over, now…where is she?" Hex started to say as turned back around only to suddenly realize that he and Charles were surrounded by about thirty Indians with bows and arrows at the ready.

"Friends of yours?" Hex asked.

"Nope." Charles gulped anxiously.

"Well, that ain't good." Hex replied.

"Can't ya just shoot em all?" Charles asked hoping that they didn't understand English.

"Looks to be about thirty of em."

"So?"

"Kid, I'm sure that you've heard some tall tales about me, but even I ain't that fast."

The exchange was ended when a blow to the back of Jonah's head rendered him unconscious as he fell to the ground. Charles followed shortly after.

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Charles' eyes slowly fluttered open as his vision tried to adjust to his surroundings. The glow and heat of a raging bonfire nearby getting his attention. Once he had gotten his bearings he saw that night had fallen, but an attempt to move revealed their situation further. Charles looked down at himself and then over at Hex who was already awake to see that they had been tied to a couple of wooden posts in the ground. There was no sign of the coach, they had been taken somewhere, though where Charles had no idea. He looked up to see the Indians that had ambushed them standing before them silently as if they had been waiting for them to wake up.

"Have a nice nap?" Hex asked.

"What's going on? Where are we?"

"At the mouth of the Forbidden Valley."

"What for?"

"I think we're about to find out." Hex said as the supposed leader of the Indian group stepped forward and began to speak in his native tongue.

"Well, that ain't good." Hex said as he proceeded to translate.

"What? What ain't good?"

"They're Comanche."

"Yeah, so?"

"Sworn enemies of the Apache."

"The Indians that brought ya back?"

"Yep."

"Great, so I'm guessing they really don't like ya?"

"Nope."

"Okay, fine then, tell them I don't know ya so they'll let me go."

"What fun would that be?" Hex joked.

"Damn it Hex!" Charles cursed as the Indian went on speaking, "What is he sayin now?"

"They're going to sacrifice us."

"What?"

But then the Indian abruptly stopped speaking, after which he let out a war cry and then signaled for the others to depart as they proceeded to walk away.

"Wait, they're leaving. I thought ya said they were goin to kill us?"

"No, I said they were going to sacrifice us."

"What's the difference?"

"Don't mean that they have to do the deed."

"What the Hell does that mean?"

Just then, as if in answer to Charles query a deep booming roar echoed from the entrance to the Forbidden Valley.

"Well that ain't good." Hex said.

"I'm gettin really tired of hearing ya say that!"

"I'm getting tired of sayin it."

"What the blazes was that?"

"Sounds like a large animal or somethin or rather."

"What like bear or somethin?"

"Ain't no bear round these parts, besides, I reckon it's something allot bigger than a bear."

"What in Sam Hell is bigger than a bear?"

The answer revealed itself at that moment as a towering beast from the dawn of time stepped out into view from the entrance to the valley. To an uneducated man it was a terrible monster ripped out of a nightmare, but if scientist Othniel Marsh were standing next to them he would've called it by its scientific classification, Allosauridae a.k.a. Allosaurus. But this giant primordial animal went by another more ominous name…Gwangi.

"Holy Mary mother of God!" Charles cried at the mere sight of the thing, What do we do now? What do we do?"

"Ya stay here and get eaten." Hex said in a deadpan voice.

"What? What about…ya, ya get ate too?" Charles began to say as he watched Hex pull his arm free of his ropes with the help of a small dagger that he had concealed in the cuff of his left shirt sleeve.

"Ah c'mon Hex! Ya can't leave me here to die!" Charles protested as Hex cut his other hand free.

"Watch me."

"Please! I'll do anything!"

"I'll settle for you tellin me where your little friend is hidin."

After appearing so anxious before, Charles seemed hesitant all of a sudden. He didn't want to betray Abby, but he sure as Hell didn't want to die either.

It was then that Gwangi caught the scent of his prey upon the wind, turning his head in their direction as the creature squinted its eyes. With a thunderous roar it then charged towards them.

That was all the motivation that Charles needed.

"Okay! Okay! Cut me loose! Cut me loose!" He hollered as Hex took his knife to his bonds as well.

They were lucky that the Indians had left them their guns nearby, they seemed more interested in matters of spiritual importance than thievery.

As Gwangi bore down on them Hex and Charles both opened fire, but the bullets didn't seem to be stopping it. Hex being the marksman that he was generally knew where to shoot a man or an animal to bring it down, but he'd never taken on a dinosaur before. Though several shots were hitting the prehistoric monster's skull, the bone in it was apparently too thick for them to penetrate. They had hoped to be able to drop it before it reached them, but that clearly wasn't happening. A split second before it reached them though a fast flying blur slammed into the beast from the side causing it to stagger. A tiny form could then be seen clinging to its back.

"Abby?" Charles muttered in surprise.

"Your friend I presume?" Hex observed.

"Run Charles!" She yelled as she clung to the creature for dear life.

Abby had remained back in town the entire time. It had been Charles' idea to lure Hex away with the plan being that Abby would get out of dodge on her own once night fell. But Abby grew worried and decided instead to follow after the sun had set.

Gwangi twisted and jerked in all directions trying throw Abby off like a bucking bronco. As the two ton brute spun around however his massive tail smacked into Charles and Hex sending them both flying. As strong as Abby was, Gwangi was stronger still as it finally flung her off. As her body spiraled wildly through the air she was unable to catch herself before she hit the ground hard and rolled several times. The saurian then turned his attention to her as he stomped towards her with its jaws opening wide. Though both Charles and Hex had the wind knocked out of them, Charles was the first to recover. Every impulse in body was telling him to do exactly what Abby had said and run like Hell, and normally he would do just that…be he just couldn't. He owed Abby his life after all.

"I'm comin Abbs!" He yelled as he ran up to the ponderous animal with the post he had been tied to in hand as he whacked it into Gwangi's left leg. The attack was pointless of course, but it did distract the carnivore as it directed its wrath at Charles instead.

"Oh what the Hell was I thinkin?" Charles whimpered as he stood there frozen with fear.

Gwangi then bent down clamping his maw down upon him shaking him back and forth like a rag doll as he screamed.

"Charles!" Abby shouted as she sprung back up and drilled her body right into the monster's neck causing it to spit Charles out.

The force of her collision sent her crashing back down again, but before Gwangi could do anything else though several tiny explosions detonated upon the monstrosity's body. Hex had brought out his handheld crossbows with their explosive tip heads, loading them as he got up off the ground. The ancient giant roared, charging strait at Hex who quickly attempted to reload but wasn't fast enough as he was forced to dodge a jaw snap from the titan. Hex rolled across the ground and managed to fire a shot into Gwangi's open mouth as its throat was scalded with fire. Though it caused the Allosaurus great pain it also raised its ire as it prepared to swallow Jonah whole. Just then though a large boulder about the size of the behemoth's head came flying from behind smacking into the back of the brute's head as it stumbled forward nearly trampling Hex as he rolled out of the way.

Hex finally managed to finish reloading as he emptied his weapon into a singular spot in the

creature's neck until the successive shots finally achieved penetration. Gwangi shrieked in pain

but found that its ordeal was not yet over as Abby flew at the beast with the post that Charles

had tried to use in hand as she managed to stab it into its right leg. With its injuries

compounding, Gwangi decided that this so-called prey was more trouble than it was worth as it

turned and took off running back towards the entrance to the forbidden valley.

Abby then quickly flew over to where Charles lie…but she was too late…he was already dead.

The sound of a hammer cocking on a gun sounded abruptly behind her as she lifted her head. She then stood back up turning to face Jonah Hex.

"Ya almost look sorry he's dead." Hex stated.

"I am." Abby said sincerely.

"Why would ya care?"

"We helped each other."

"Whatever." Hex scoffed.

"Did you plan to kill me?" Abby asked.

"That was the general idea."

"I just saved your life."

"Doesn't matter."

"You're not the first man to point a gun at me."

"Yeah, but I betcha they weren't packin what I am." Hex said as he fired off a bullet that shot through Abby's right hand as she winced grabbing hold of it.

Abby had been shot before, but these bullets were indeed different. She could feel the sting of splintered wood in her wound.

"That's right, wood tipped bullets, I wager one through yer heart will do the trick."

In the past Abby had proven herself resistant to most things that posed a threat to vampires, but despite that, she wasn't in any hurry to test her luck with this if she had a choice.

"Why?" Abby asked.

"Because yer a killer."

"And you're not?"

"Never did anyone in that didn't have it comin."

"And what kind of people do you think I hunt?"

"Ya expect me to believe that ya ain't never hurt an innocent?"

"I never asked for any of this."

"And I never asked to be this good lookin either," Hex began sarcastically, "But that doesn't change nothin."

"I know about you."

"Ya know nothing about me."

"I know that you live by a code of honor."

"What about it?"

"I saved you, so you owe me."

"That's for regular folk only, not monsters."

"I wasn't always a monster."

"Well, if yer all noble and such why not just do yerself in?"

"I may deserve to die for the things that I've done…but I don't want to die."

"Then I'll be more than happy to help ya along."

"If you do, you break your code. Can you live with that?"

"You'd be amazed what a man can live with."

Abby then let out a heavy sigh.

"Then I'll beg if I need to." She said as she fell to her knees.

"Get up."

"No."

"I said get up!"

"What's wrong? Not feel as righteous if I'm not trying kill you? If I'm not fighting back?"

"What makes ya think it matters? What makes ya think I care?"

"Because once…you were just like me…unspoiled."

Hex began to fume with fury, his gun hand shaking.

"Ya think I won't do it?"

"Doesn't matter. It's your call one way or the other…I wont fight you. Maybe there's a part of me that does want to die, maybe…just maybe…I've been waiting for you. Do as you wish." Abby relented as she closed her eyes.

Hex stood stoically. Unmoving and unflinching, but sweat began to run down his brow. The tension was maddening and the silence merciless. Only God knew what would happen next.

And then…Jonah Hex lowered his gun.

"Get out of here, and pray to the devil that we never meet again." Hex threatened.

Abby then opened her eyes and slowly rose.

"Thank y-"

"Don't." Hex cut her off, "Just get the Hell outta here."

"Alright, but can you do something for me please?"

"What pray tell?"

"Give Charles a proper burial…he deserves that."

"He'll get buried alright. Won't be nuthin fancy though."

"Fair enough." Abby replied.

Jonah then turned away for a brief moment, when he turned back around, she was gone. Hex pondered her words for a moment. She actually seemed to be genuinely sorry for the man's death. Rather strange for a monster he figured. But her last request nonetheless was something he had no problem with.

After burying Charles he let out a loud whistle, which brought his horse running from off in the distance. When it finally came to him, he climbed on and rode off into the night.

"Demons, Utluntas, giant lizards…I'm getting too old for this." He huffed shaking his head.

Some distance away Abby flew off alone. She would whisk back to the Inn and gather what belongings she could before moving on. She was sure she could get in and out without being noticed. As she flew along her thoughts were of Charles. He wasn't what one could call the most upstanding citizen, but in the end he had proven to Abby at the least that he was a good man. He could've ran and abandoned her but he didn't, but his act of chivalry had cost him his life. It would seem that the reaper had managed to claim him after all, just a few months behind schedule.

So ended the all too brief career and legend of Charles Hardin, a man who had the potential to go down in history as one of the most famed bounty hunters of the old west, even if the credit didn't truly belong to him. But instead he was cut down all too soon and would eventually be forgotten. But there was one person who would never forget him, and she would carry his memory for all time to come, and for an eternal creature of the night, that was indeed very literal. Incidentally, one night a short time later a heavy stone slab and a bouquet of flowers mysteriously appeared on the shallow unmarked grave. No one knows how they got there or who put them there, but on the stone the following was inscribed.

_Charles Hardin._

_Died a hero in 1881._

_Sought fame and fortune._

_But his conscience was the most famous treasure of all._


	6. A League Of Their Own part 1

Just wanted to drop a line to let you know that the Edgar Rice Burroughs characters and places in this story are based on their film versions, not their literary originals.

xxxxxxxxxxx

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN part 1

X

X

1943

New York

Somewhere in the Bronx

A predator stalked its prey through the streets of the city. Like a hungry animal anticipating the kill it drew ever closer to its quarry. Soon hopefully the right opportunity would come for it to strike, there were very few people on the streets after dark but patience was key, couldn't risk anyone seeing or hearing anything. But the hunter was so hungry, its desire ravenous and unyielding. It took all the self control it had to restrain itself from acting upon its craving.

But what was this? Suddenly the intended victim turned into a dark alley off the sidewalk. Yes! Finally the chance had come! Almost losing composure the menacing figure rushed into the alley, standing at the far end of it in near blackness was its target…she couldn't have been more than 12 years old.

So young…so innocent…so beautiful.

The disgusting pedophile licked his lips, his expectations and preconceptions of what was to come arousing him to the point that he was in danger of prematurely finishing before he even had a chance to touch her as he closed in on her. She faced away from him, he moved carefully and quietly to avoid detection. Soon he was but feet away from her and then…he stepped into Hell.

She quickly spun around, but the face the rapist saw was not that of a young girl, but a demon instead.

In an instant the prepubescent vampire was upon him…his throat was ripped out before he even had a chance to scream.

In the aftermath of her feeding she characteristically snapped his neck as she had done with countless others before. Thankfully no one had seen or heard anything on the main street…or so she thought.

The sounds of sudden but gradual clapping startled her as she leaped up to face a shadowy figure that now stood in the alley with her.

"Well done, I can think of few other kinds of scum for you to sate your bloodlust on my dear." The stranger said.

"Who are you?" She said defensively in a voice that was still partially demonic as she gradually reverted to her human visage.

"My name," He began to say as he stepped into a stray beam of moonlight that managed to penetrate the darkness of the alley, "Is Tom Sawyer, formally of the American Secret service, now a member of a recently created division of the United States government called the Demon Research Initiative. Our job is to investigate the supernatural."

The man in question looked to in his late sixties with patches of gray in his hair and was dressed in a brown trench coat.

"What do you want with me?"

"I need your help."

Abby gave a somewhat skeptical and at the same time bewildered look.

"Don't look so surprised, as we speak other operatives of our organization are recruiting another vampire right here in New York for a mission on board a submarine in the Atlantic. Listen, all I ask is that you hear me out. Also, if you help us the rewards could be greater than you could possibly imagine."

"You have nothing that I want."

"How about your humanity?"

"What?"

"Surely as a creature of the supernatural you are at least aquatinted with the basic concepts of magic? We have connections, I know someone who can rid you of the vampire curse forever."

"If I help you."

"If you help us."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Do you really have anything to fear from me? You could clearly overpower and kill me if you so chose could you not? Give me a chance to prove my sincerity."

For the longest time Abby said and did nothing more as if unsure how she should react.

"Please." Sawyer pleaded.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Abby eventually found herself in a large abandoned warehouse somewhere in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. In the center of the otherwise empty storage area was an oblong table that Sawyer and Abby now stood next to.

"You still haven't told me why I'm here." Abby stated.

"Patience, we must wait for the others to arrive, then all shall be revealed."

"Others?" She asked with an obvious look of confusion.

Just then the first of them came into view. Abby looked over to see a middle aged looking man in brown leather jacket and a brown fedora carrying at his side a bullwhip.

"Dr. Jones, welcome. Or would you prefer your more sensationalist moniker, Indiana Jones?"

"Dr. Jones will do just fine Sawyer."

_"Indiana Jones?" _

Abby had remembered reading about the famous archeologist/adventurer in various newspapers across the country, but what was he doing here?

The next to arrive was another man in a fedora, but this one was midnight blue with a purple band around its base above the brim. The rest of his wardrobe was of the same dark blue with a flowing cape that was a burgundy red on the inside. The bottom part of his face was concealed behind a red scarf whose color matched the interior lining of his cloak.

"The Shadow, welcome, I am glad that you could make it." Sawyer professed.

_"The Shadow too?_" Abby thought to herself.

She had only recently become familiar with this individual since arriving in New York, as he was one of the city's resident vigilantes that the New York Times was constantly doing articles on.

The next to arrive Abby did not recognize but his identity was not the only thing abut him that perplexed her. Standing before them all was a rather strapping looking man…in a loin cloth?

"Tarzan, welcome to you as well my friend."

"Why you bring Tarzan here, Tarzan no like city, want to go back home to jungle."

"My sincerest apologies Tarzan, but do trust me when I say that I would not have arranged for your being brought here if it was not of the utmost importance."

The last to arrive was a young long brunette haired girl who looked to be in her teens. Seventeen or eighteen at the oldest decked out in a black 'sloppy Joe' pullover sweater, a pair of baggy jeans rolled up just below her knees and simple loafers with cotton socks. Abby studied her carefully but there didn't seem to be anything special or out of the ordinary about her.

"And last but certainly not least Elizabeth Winters, greetings my dear."

"Stuff your pleasantries, I ain't here because I want to be."

"True enough Miss Winters, but the government has agreed to wipe your slate clean in exchange for your services, a fair trade I wager."

"Let's just get this over wi-" Elizabeth stopped in mid sentence when she spotted Abby.

The teenager's expression then changed from annoyance to outright rage in the blink of an eye as she suddenly drew a wooden stake and lunged at Abby with inhuman speed. The tiny vampire bolted up onto the ceiling at the last possible second.

"What the Hell?" Elizabeth cursed.

"Miss Winters, if you will just allow me to explain-"

"You never said that I would have to work with a vampire!"

"Please Miss Winters, if you could just calm your self and restrain your Slayer tendencies for just a moment?"

_"A Slayer?"_

Abby had never encountered one before but she was familiar with the legend.

_In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer._

"Gentlemen, most of you are familiar with each other's work through reputation and you have all made headlines at one time or another across the globe, but allow me to introduce you all to the relative unknown of this group, Abigail Macready, a vampire who seeks reclamation. And with my help, once she has helped you all complete the task at hand, she will have it." Sawyer clarified.

"Get bent, I'm ditching this joint." The Slayer said as she turned to leave.

"It would be a pity if the local authorities were to get word of your Mob connections my dear." Sawyer said politely causing her to halt in her tracks.

"You son of a bitch." She said turning back around.

"Think of me what you like, it matters not, all that matters is the mission, and I will do what ever I must to insure the cooperation of everyone present."

"And what exactly is this mission?" Indy asked as Abby slowly but surely brought herself back down to the table.

"Are any of you familiar with a group that was once known as the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen?" Sawyer asked.

"I've heard of them?" Indy answered.

"You were a member of that group were you not?" The Shadow questioned Sawyer.

"Indeed I was. Me, Allan Quartermain, Captain Nemo, Mina Harker, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Rodney Skinner the invisible man. A group initially brought together under false pretenses 40 years ago as a ruse orchestrated by criminal mastermind James Moriarty as part of a plot to take over the world. But in the end the League was true to itself and rose above its nefarious origins to stop Moriarty and save the world. And many grand adventures were had afterward as well. Ah…those were the days, back when I was young and headstrong. But that was then and this is now." He finished with a smile and his arms outstretched from his sides as if referring to those presently gathered.

"Are you saying that we're, the new League?" Indy asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Indeed I am."

"Interesting." The Shadow commented.

All Elizabeth did was let out a disgruntled huff at the idea, while Abby and Tarzan simply looked on silently.

"Listen Sawyer, it ain't that we don't appreciate the offer and all, but in case you haven't noticed our plates are kinda full as it is." Indy told him.

"Fear not gentlemen, I'm not expecting a lifetime commitment from any of you. This is just a one time deal, but the mission in question is important nonetheless."

"Details?" The Shadow asked.

"Well as you all know our brave men and women are currently fighting the Axis overseas. But our intelligence sources have recently gotten word that that the Nazis are in the process of developing a terrible new weapon, one that could change the face of the war and turn things in the Axis' favor."

"What is it?" Indy asked.

"A destructive device so terrible that it can wipe out entire cities, one that a certain member of this group is more familiar with than most."

"You can't be serious?" The Shadow asked.

"I'm afraid I am."

"Another atomic bomb?" The Shadow went on.

"Atomic bomb? Isn't that what that madman Shi-wan Khan tried to use to blow up New York about ten years ago?" Indy said.

"The same, so what's the plan?" The Shadow queried.

"Simple, we beat them to the punch and build one of our own."

"Okay, so then why do you need us?" The Slayer finally spoke up.

"Though we have top men currently working on the project like Robert Oppenheimer and David Bohm among several others, we have hit a few roadblocks. We need one more man to complete the process."

"You want Dr. Reinhardt Lane." The Shadow surmised.

"Correct, the man who perfected the very first atom bomb single-handedly."

"Okay, so why not enlist his aid then?" Indy asked.

"At one time we did, we contacted him long before we learned that the Nazis were creating their own and procured the bomb schematics from him."

"So what's the problem?" The Shadow questioned.

"It wasn't until we recently started trying to build our own that we realized that Dr. Lane omitted some important details in his blueprints. Without this vital information we cannot complete the bomb. We believe he did this on purpose because he feared the idea of the weapon being used."

"Do you know if the Nazi's are having the same problems you are?" Indy stated.

"Possibly, but scumbags or not their scientists are ingenious, that and we fear that Doctor Lane's former partner Farley Claymore may have been a double agent selling secrets to the highest bidder. A large sum of money was deposited into a Swiss bank account in his name three days before he died. In any case when America officially entered the war Lane vanished."

"Vanished? To where?" The Shadow inquired.

"Well, we have our…suspicions."

"What does that mean?" The Slayer chimed in.

"Intel places his last known location being the Antarctic Circle as a part of an expedition and we have spoken to the local Inuit tribes that said they encountered him. They claimed he was looking for Pellucidar."

"Pellucidar?" Tarzan finally spoke, "Why scientist person go to Pellucidar, Pellucidar dangerous place."

"Indeed it is." Sawyer agreed."

"Pellucidar? But that's just a legend, isn't it?" Indy suggested.

"I can assure you Dr, Jones that it is very real, we have reason to believe that Dr. Lane entered a secret passage to Pellucidar at the polar cap."

"And you want us to bring him back." Indy guessed with an awkward smile.

"Correct."

"So you're sending all of us after one guy?" The Slayer sneered.

"Yes. Though it is true that I could have simply had any one of you appointed for this task, I believe there's strength in numbers. That plus there's no room for error here, you must succeed. The outcome of the war is depending on you all. Also as Tarzan has already said Pellucidar is a dangerous place, he is but one of a handful of people to have journeyed there and lived to tell the tale, he will be your guide, he is familiar with the dangers, geography and peoples' of that land."

"So we're heading to the South Pole?" The Shadow asked.

"No, time is of the essence, setting up an expedition to utilize the polar passage could take weeks or even months, We have a more direct route in mind. In order to further elaborate you will all have to come with me if you please Ladies and Gentlemen."

The group was escorted to a large covered army truck that they stepped into the back of. They were then transported out of New York crossing the New Jersey border until they found themselves driving into the New Jersey pine barrens. After traveling deep into the woods they headed strait for what seemed to be the side of a mountain, ready to crash into it at any moment. But just then a camouflaged door suddenly slid open at the last second as they drove through, the door then quickly closed behind them.

They now found themselves in what had the appearance of a large hangar bay. As the vehicle came to a stop, its occupants stepped out to see a rather unusual sight indeed.

Sitting before them was what appeared to be a giant metal tube with what looked to be a massive drill on the end of it. On the side of the metal tube were claw-like fixtures while the drill itself had several independently moving sharp parts that would help to facilitate its obvious function. Several others lights and sounds were also going off that eventually culminated in a titanic booster engine at the rear igniting for a brief moment. Abby gazed at the bizarre machine with a combination of curiosity and confusion, one that the rest of the group shared until one of them broke the silence.

"A giant drill?" The Shadow pondered aloud.

"The correct term is 'the Iron Mole'" A voice called out from within the contraption.

It was then that a rather elderly looking but tall man with silver hair stepped out of a doorway on the side of the great machine.

"Well, if my old friend and mentor Dr, Abner Perry were still here he would call it by its proper name, a high calibration drilling machine." The aged man went on.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Allow me to introduce to you Professor David Innes. He will be piloting this craft with you in it all the way to Pellucidar."

"We're going there in this thing?" The Slayer spat with a mixture of both disbelief and concern.

"Indeed you are my dear." Sawyer confirmed.

"Well, this is going to be fun." Indy said somewhat mockingly.

"Stow the skepticism friends, the Iron Mole has already been to Pellucidar and back once before, she'll get you there and back home no problem, I guarantee it." David proclaimed with confidence.

"He is quite correct, David and his former professor traveled to Pellucidar over 40 years ago as a result of a freak accident, he like Tarzan is among those select few who have been to that savage land and returned to tell the tale. In this the journey will take but a few hours." Sawyer explained, "Professor Innes, are you ready for departure?"

"Yep, just finished up the last systems check, everyone can board immediately if they choose, I'm ready whenever they are."

"Well then, good luck one and all. May God be with you all." Sawyer told them.

In short order they had all boarded and the hull latch closed shut as a hydraulic lifting platform proceeded to raise the rear of Iron Mole up off the floor angling its drill tip down towards an open pit in the floor to the ground beneath. Once they had reached the proper angle David activated the drill and the primary engine fired as they started to burrow into the earth. Within a few moments, they were gone.

Later in mid transit, Indy decided to have a few words with whom had thus far been the least talkative of their group.

"You don't smile much do you or talk much for that matter?" He said sitting down next to Abby.

"Not much reason to."

"So I hear. So what got you onboard?"

"He said they could make me human again."

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes."

"So you never asked to be a vampire."

"…no."

"Looking for some redemption?"

"There is none for me, I'm a killer."

"None of us here are innocent sweetheart. We've all killed."

"You've killed Nazis and other bad people. So has The Shadow and Tarzan and the Slayer."

"And you haven't?"

"Yes…but that isn't all. I've killed innocents too. When the hunger comes, it doesn't care what *I* want, it just wants to feed…sometimes I think about just sitting and waiting for the sun to rise…but Godddamn me I'm just too weak and afraid to do it. In the end I am just a monster."

"Not wanting to die doesn't make you monster…it just makes you as human as the rest of us, we'll figuratively anyways, considering our present company."

"My humanity died a long time ago."

"If that we're true you wouldn't be here. I think in some cases I do believe that some deserve second chances."

"What she deserves is a wooden stake through her dry dead heart." The Slayer hissed contemptuously.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch girly," Jones said getting up and turning to face Elizabeth, "Or is it just that time of the month?"

In the blink of an eye the Slayer had Jones pinned against the wall of the Mole with her right hand wrapped around his neck.

"Shoot your mouth off again and I'll cut it off of you. I'm not one of your little dumb little damsels in distress, I'm a Slayer, no one tells me what to do."

"Except your Watcher, who I hear is dead because of you. Did you kill him for having a sense of humor too?"

"I could snap your neck like a twig if I wanted to."

The slayer began to tighten her grip when the cocking of a gun hammer right behind her left ear got her attention. She looked over her shoulder to see the Shadow standing there with one of his 45s leveled at her head.

"Slayer or not, I'm pretty sure you're not bullet proof. So how about you shove your personal feelings where the sun doesn't shine, sit down and keep focused on the reason that we're all here."

"Easy for you to say, I never asked to join this group, I was blackmailed."

"Perhaps if you kept better company that wouldn't be an issue. I'd expect better of one chosen to be a Slayer."

"My personal life is none of your damn business."

"No, but the success of this mission is." The Shadow told her as Indiana suddenly drew his pistol and pointed it up at her chin as her head turned back around to face him.

"Well? What's it going to be sweetheart?" Jones asked her with a smirk.

After a few more tense moments she finally let Jones go and slowly returned to her seat glaring at them all the while. Nearby Tarzan had been watching everything that had transpired very cautiously, ready to intervene himself if he had to, but thankfully that had not been the case.

Indiana then sat back down next to Abby.

"I gotta say, I got nothing but respect for Sawyer for putting this whole operation together, but putting a vampire slayer on the same team with a vampire? Not one of his best ideas I'd wager. Almost as bad as throwing a Jew in with a Nazi, hmmm…that sounds like the setup to a really bad joke." Jones quipped causing Abby to crack a brief grin.

"Ha, made you smile." He teased her.

Meanwhile as the Shadow sat back down he thought about Abby's tragic circumstances and what Indy had said. If there was anyone here who understood the concept of trying to redeem oneself for past sins it was definitely Cranston, the man who was once known as Ying Ko, the butcher of Lassa, one of the most brutal and merciless warlords in all of Mongolia.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hours later the Iron Mole finally reached its destination as it breached into Pellucidar, They had tunneled around the subterranean world's perimeter so that they would come up through it's bedrock and soil surface area rather than come through from above which would have resulted in a 20 mile plummet that more than likely none of them would survive. David had punched in the same coordinates that he and Dr. Perry had left from over 40 years ago so that they would come up near the tribal village that they had befriended so long ago, whether or not they would remember him however was a different story entirely.

"Bottom floor, Monsters, madmen and monkey people, everybody out. Told ya I'd get ya here in one piece." David said smugly as everyone started to get up out of their seats.

"Is it safe to go outside?" Indy asked.

"Yep, we're near one of the villages, no creature action round these parts. We're actually on the outskirts, gotta travel into the interior to find anything nasty." David told him.

With that he threw the lever for the hatch as light suddenly poured in causing Abby to instinctively flinch and dart for the shadows.

"Relax honey, that ain't sunlight coming in, not natural sunlight anyways, that's Pellucidar's ceiling, illuminated by magma flows through the mantle 20 miles above us to glow as bright as day, albeit with a odd sort of pink hue. In any case you won't be bursting into flame here." David explained.

"That's a shame." Elizabeth said sarcastically as Indy shot her a dirty look.

Abby then slowly got back up and stepped with some trepidation into the light shining through the doorway from outside. Her skin tingled when it touched her as she allowed herself to bask in the abnormal rays. Abby permitted herself a momentary smile, it may not have been real sunlight, but it had been so long since she had felt the real thing that she could hardly recall the memory of it. The others merely looked on as she stood there. After a few more seconds she walked forward as the others stepped out behind her.

David was the last to step out as he sealed the door of the Iron Mole behind them. As they proceeded to walk towards the village Tarzan and David took the lead. It was hoped that the villagers would remember them to help reestablish peaceful contact.

As they approached, the village elder, a man named Baga spotted them coming and immediately recognized Tarzan, whom had been to Pellucidar far more recently than David.

"Tarzan, welcome old friend!" He shouted, but seemed to somewhat balk at those who were with him as he took notice of their strange clothing.

"No worry, these Tarzan's friends, this one you know too, long time ago." He shouted back as he gestured towards David.

"David?" Baga said with disbelief.

The last time he had actually seen David he was but a young warrior, but he remembered well how David and Abner helped his father Gak and their people to fight for their freedom and overthrow their former slave masters the Mahars.

"Yes Baga, it's me." David said as the group walked up to him, all the while villagers gathered behind Baga to see what all of the fuss was about.

"It is good to see both of you again, welcome to you and your friends. What brings you back to Pellucidar?"

"We search for someone. Man from our world above who come here." Tarzan explained.

"The man named Lane?" Baga guessed.

"He was here?" The Shadow asked.

"Some time ago, he was here a short while before moving on."

"Where to?" Indy interceded.

"To the west, towards the Great Peak near the Lidi plains."

"Did he say why he had come here?" David asked."

"No, he said little of his purpose but chose instead to befriend our people and learn of our customs instead. He would speak of nothing else."

"Why in God's name would he leave the village, he would stand no chance out there alone." David said.

"He wasn't alone." Baga revealed.

"He wasn't?" The Shadow said.

"No, he came here with a group."

"Well, that slightly increases their odds of survival but not by much." David warned.

"Tarzan, could you track his footsteps, pick up his trail?" The Shadow suggested.

"Yes."

"I can help too Abby spoke up."

"How so?" Indy queried.

"Did he leave anything behind when he left?" Abby asked.

With that one of the village children brought forth a pocket watch. Abby then held it up to her nose and sniffed it a couple of times.

"I have his scent now." She declared.

"You saying you can follow him like a bloodhound?" David questioned, to which Abby merely nodded.

"Good, between you and Tarzan we should be able to track him down no problem, but why in God's name would he leave his watch behind?" The Shadow stated.

"Probably because there's no night here, only perpetual daylight, it plays tricks on you, screws up your biological clock the longer you're here." David said as he then turned and stepped towards Baga, "Baga, can you please tell me…is Dia still alive?" He inquired with an almost pleading desperation.

"Yes." A female voice suddenly called from the crowd.

"David turned to see his beloved Dia step out into the open as David walked up to her and gave her a loving embrace.

Once they broke the hug they stared longingly into each other's eyes. She was aged now with streaks of silver in her long hair, but to David she was still as beautiful as she ever was.

"I was such a fool, why did I ever leave you?" David admitted.

"You loved your home as much as I loved mine, that was why I could not come back to your world with you all those years ago when you asked me to and why you could not stay."

"I lived to regret that choice. Nothing was ever the same for me after I left here, I found myself wishing that I had stayed here with you." He confesed with shame as he hung his head, suddenly unable to look her in the eyes.

But he suddenly felt her soft gentle hands touch his cheeks as she lifted his gaze back up to meet hers.

"There were times when I thought the same thing about not going with you my love. But the past is the past and you are here now and that is all that matters." She affirmed.

As they stared into each other's eyes it was as if they had fallen in love all over again. But as they watched each other, Abby, watched them. She'd be lying if she said that she didn't feel envious. She had often wondered what it would be like to feel that kind of love for someone and to have someone love her back in the same way. But that was a silly dream for a silly little girl, fact of the matter was, she couldn't even call herself that anymore. But if what Sawyer had said was true, if she could be turned human again, then maybe, just maybe she could experience these things for herself…someday.

"I think it's pretty obvious that David is going to want to stay behind, in the meantime let's do the job we were sent here to do." Indy recommended, "Tarzan, Abby? We're ready when ever you are."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Their journey eventually led them to an archaic rope bridge that spanned a huge chasm, and far below, a rushing river. The group slowly made its way across and wasn't even halfway when the terrible sound of tearing ropes rang out.

"Oh no." Indy grumbled.

"Everyone freeze!" The Shadow warned.

""What if we just let ourselves drop into the river?" Abby asked.

"Very bad, sea serpents wait below to eat us." Tarzan told her."

Just then more ripping sounds signified the last of the bridge's bonds letting loose.

As it gave way, Elizabeth, who was at the rear and had just stepped onto the bridge did a quick back flip putting her back on the ledge. She then snatched up the ropes before they could fall. Now her Slayer strength alone was holding the bridge up and keeping everyone from falling. Abby reacted quickly taking to the sky and grabbing whomever was closest, which happened to be Indy right in front of her. She whisked him across to the other side and proceeded to do the same for the others.

After everyone had been taken off the bridge the Slayer let it drop. Abby then flew back to get her.

"Don't touch me." Elizabeth snapped as Abby reached for her.

"Then what are you going to do? Last I checked flying wasn't one of your Slayer powers and I'm pretty sure you not going to jump across." Abby reminded her.

With an angry grunt the Slayer finally complied as Abby grabbed her and flew her across as well.

"Let go of me!" Elizabeth barked wrestling free of Abby's grasp once she touched down.

"Thanks for saving us back there." The Shadow said to the Slayer.

"I don't give a damn about any of you. The only reason that I'm even here is because of what Sawyer is holding over my head, otherwise, I would've just let you all drop." She snarled before storming off.

"Well, isn't she a charmer." Indy joked.


	7. A League Of Their Own part 2

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN part 2

X

But just then they were ambushed on all sides by what looked to be an aboriginal tribe all armed with bows and arrows.

"We just can't catch a break can we?" Indy snorted as the group as a whole took defensive stances.

"No wait, this Burakkuu tribe, Tarzan friends." the lord of the apes touted.

"Uh, then why are they pointing arrows at us?" The Shadow asked.

"I talk to them." Tarzan said as he began an exchange in their native dialect.

"For someone who knows so many languages you'd think he'd learn to speak proper English." The Slayer sassed.

"He doesn't have much use for it back in his African home." Indy advised.

"He apparently doesn't have much use for soap and water either." She groaned.

"Do you know how not to be a bitch?" Indy asked sarcastically.

"Do you know how to shut the Hell up?" She retorted.

Meanwhile, though the rest of the group could not understand what was being said between Tarzan and the tribesmen, they could tell by the tone of their voices that it wasn't going well.

"This not good." Tarzan said turning back to his comrades.

"Why?" Abby asked.

"They take us back to Chieftain. They capture intruders, take to him."

"What happened to no bad tribes?" Elizabeth sneered.

"They good tribe once, ruled by good Chieftain. Good Chieftain die, son now rule, son bad."

"Great." Indy grumbled.

Elizabeth started to draw her sword causing the natives to encircle her specifically.

"Don't do anything stupid." Indy told her.

"They ain't taking me anywhere. I say we gut every last one of em." The Slayer scowled.

"We're grossly outnumbered and Slayer or not I seriously doubt you could shrug off being turned into a human pincushion for about fifty arrows." The Shadow cautioned.

"Abby, could you fly us outta here?" Indy suggested, but the Shadow interrupted before she could answer.

"I'd say that any sudden movements would be a bad idea."

In short order they were ushered back to the Burakkuu village. Once they got there they were brought before the new Chieftain.

"Do you think you could reason with him?" Indy whispered to Tarzan.

"Not good idea."

"Why?"

"See Chieftain only have one eye?" Tarzan whispered back.

"Yeah."

"Tarzan reason he only have one eye."

"What?"

"Son try kill father. Take over tribe. Tarzan stop son, son swear revenge."

"Crap."

The Chieftain then began shouting and screaming in his native language, he sounded none too happy.

"What did he say?" Abby asked.

"He going sacrifice us to God." Tarzan informed them.

"The Hell he is!" The Slayer snarled, "I say we fight our way out of this!"

"We didn't come here to wipe out a tribe of people, besides they're not evil, they must obey the ruling Chieftain whether they want to or not." Indy told her.

"If he's so bad why don't they just overthrow him or something?" Abby inquired.

It's not that simple Abby. His word is law, to disobey means death. I've been around enough primitive tribes to know." Indy explained.

"I ain't being sacrificed to some stupid prehistoric pagan god, I'd rather go down fighting." Elizabeth droned defiantly.

"There's no reason to fight at all. There are other alternatives." The Shadow offered, "Tarzan?"

"Yes?"

"I will need you to translate for me as I speak, do you understand?"

"Yes."

The Shadow then began to focus an intense stare upon the Chieftain. When their eyes met it suddenly seemed that the tribal leader was disoriented. The Shadow's gaze seemed to penetrate into his very soul as he began to speak.

"You will not harm us, you will release us immediately. Further more, you will rule your people the way your father did. You shall capture and kill no more."

Tarzan then spoke what The Shadow had said in the Burakkuu's language as the Shadow's withering scrutiny continued to bear down on the Chieftain. When he had finished the Burakkuu leader snapped out of the trance and his tone and demeanor seemed to change instantly as he suddenly did everything that the Shadow had said. They were sent on their way shortly after.

"I'll make you a deal Shadow, I'll give you all of my grenades if you teach me that trick." Indy joked as Cranston grinned behind his scarf.

A short time later after moving through some rather dense jungle they accidentally stepped into the nesting place of a giant Carnu plant. Which immediately stirred upon their arrival.

"Whoa, what in the Hell is that?" Indy asked.

"Carnu!" Tarzan answered.

"A what?" The Shadow pressed on.

"Plant that eat people!" Tarzan exclaimed.

"Oh great." The Slayer moaned as the animate greenery attacked them.

The thick vines of the sentient plant surged forward attempting to entangle and ensnare them all. The Slayer hacked away with her sword while the others cut at the attacking coils with their knives. Abby meanwhile simply ripped through them with her bare hands or savaged them with her gnarled teeth. But for every one they sliced off more seemed to appear. It was clear that this things had to be literally cut off at the roots. The Slayer charged forward strait at the plant creature's gaping maw as it opened wide almost expecting her to jump in. But when she reached it she sliced the moving jaw/trap of the man-eating vegetable clean off. She then reared back and buried her sword into the monster's roots. It reacted by smacking her away with one of its tentacles as she went flying through the air and landing hard.

Indy and The Shadow whipped out their guns and pumped several rounds into it but it had no seeable effect. Abby managing to struggle free of the appendages that were restraining her flew up into the sky out of their reach and then came back down in front of the plant's head as she started to rip and tear at the very roots that the Slayer had began to cut into. The fearsome foliage responded by wrapping one of its tendrils around her head as it lifted her up and began to slam onto the ground repeatedly. Tarzan in the meantime was being lifted off the ground by one of the vines when the Slayer's sword came twirling though the air cutting it off as the lord of the apes fell back to the ground. The two of them however found themselves beset upon by even more of the aggressive cords as they attempted to fight them off as best they could.

Meanwhile Abby was still being hammered while both Indy and the Shadow had been practically mummified by the plant's multitude of snakelike arms. They were being pulled towards the thing's mouth, clearly not having a working jaw wasn't going to stop the carnivorous flora from trying to consume them. But Indy luckily managed to get one of his arms free and in his hand was a grenade that he pulled the pin out of with his mouth. He then tossed it in and a few moments later the head of the monstrous herbage exploded in a rather slimy display. Instantly its vines dropped to the ground lifelessly and the ones wrapped around Indy, The Shadow and Abby loosened.

"Nice stunt, guess I'll have to think about starting to pack grenades on me." The Shadow said to Indy.

"Never know when they'll come in handy." He said with a smile as he walked over to Abby, "Are you alright?"

"Yea, a little woozy, but I'll be okay." She answered shaking her head.

"Well, that's a shame." The Slayer said bluntly giving Abby a dirty look as Indy frowned back at her.

Elizabeth then decided to direct her anger at someone else.

"I thought you said that this was a safe path!" The Slayer shouted getting in Tarzan's face.

"This safe path. Safe from bad tribes, safe from cannibals, safe from Sagoths."

"And the thing that just attacked us?"

"This it home, we intruders."

"And you didn't know that it was here because? You're supposed to be our damn guide!"

"Tarzan not be here many years, Carnu grow fast, not here before."

"Bullshit!"

"Tarzan know right way to go, must follow." He tried to explain as best he could with his broken English.

"Could someone translate for me please? I don't speak retard!" Elizabeth grumbled.

"Here in Pellucidar there is no such thing as safe, just safer. This is a no man's land full of unspeakable horrors. Why do you think that the human tribes of this world haven't expanded far from their home? It's because there's just too many damn things in this place that want to hunt, kill and eat them that's why! I can see now why Sawyer wanted to send a group here. Any one of us trying this on our own would probably be dead already. Is that clear enough for you?" Indy tried to make her understand.

"Stuff it! I don't even care!" Elizabeth bit back.

"You know I think I've had about all I feel like taking from you, you spoiled little-" Indy began to argue but was interrupted when a massive charging beast came barreling out of the jungle towards them with a thundering roar. The prehistoric animal had to be at least twenty feet tall. It had curled tusks sticking out of its head, a bizarre sort of mow hawk, and odd shaped cloven feet. It looked like a cross between an upright walking wild boar and something pseudo reptilian in design.

The group scattered in all directions except for Abby who was closest to it, she spun around just as it bent down and snatched her up in its jaws swallowing her whole.

"Jesus Christ!" Indy stammered as he and the Shadow opened fire.

"Good riddance." The Slayer muttered under her breath as she charged forward.

Using her amazing Slayer speed and agility she practically took a running leap onto the creature's torso and ran up it right before burying her sword into its left collarbone all the way to the hilt. She was sure that her stab technique would and or should puncture some vital organs, chief among them its heart, but the monster threw her off sending her smashing through several trees and crashing off in the distance. Either she had missed or the animal's internal biology wasn't something comparable to surface life forms. Meanwhile Tarzan got in close dodging one of the giant's ponderous feet before slicing through its right Achilles tendon with his dagger, but it wasn't enough to bring it down. All the while Indy and the Shadow continued shooting, all of their bullets were finding their marks, but didn't seem to be stopping it, they weren't even sure if it felt pain to begin with.

The monster kicked a massive boulder that sent everyone running but The Shadow hit the ground hard as he dodged making him an easy target. The behemoth reached down and grabbed him fully intending to gulp him down as well, but Cranston once again unloaded with his guns at point blank range, meanwhile Indy uncoiled his whip and laid into the brute with it. The fiend then dropped The Shadow and turned charging at Indy who rolled out of the way of its giant hooves as it kicked and smashed more rock in various directions. Some of the debris hit Indy in the back as he went rolling across the ground. Just then though Tarzan came swinging in on a vine screaming his famous Tarzan yell as he landed upon the monstrosity's back as he stabbed it repeatedly with his dagger. But soon enough it threw Tarzan off as he grabbed for a tree branch on his way down.

Once more Indy and The Shadow opened fire, but it seemed to no avail.

"How in the Hell are we supposed to kill this thing?" Indy yelled.

But a moment later the creature stopped and began to grab at its insides as it wailed in apparent agony. The rest of the group was at a loss to explain what was happening when suddenly something began to rip and tear its way out from inside the monster. It was then that its torso seemingly burst open as Abby in full vamp mode exploded forth from within and fell onto the ground landing on all fours like a jungle cat. With one final shriek of misery it toppled over behind her…finally, it was dead. And there stood Abby covered from head to toe in gore and viscera, her eyes blazing yellow.

"Okay…that works." Indy commented.

"Are you alright?" The Shadow asked.

"Yeah, but uh, can someone get me a towel please, or point me in the direction of a lake perhaps?"

The Slayer meanwhile finally rejoined them looking none too pleased that Abby had survived her ordeal as she reached down and wrenched her sword from the monster's carcass.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

As they continued to follow the trail they eventually came into a clearing that placed them at the doorstep of the most stunning sight they had beheld thus far…the ruins of an ancient city.

"Good lord," Indy spoke taking a moment to pause and soak in what he was seeing, "If I didn't know any better I would say that this looked to be Sumerian or more to the point Akkadian, but that can't be. Why would such architecture be here in Pellucidar? The peoples of this world couldn't have built this. Tarzan, what about the Mahars?"

"No, been here long time, Mahar no build."

"Perhaps others have been here from the surface, other cultures maybe?" The Shadow theorized.

"You suggesting that ancient Sumerians fled to Pellucidar ages ago?" Indy asked.

"Would explain their sudden disappearance and supposed extinction." The Shadow offered.

"I guess it is possible." Indy agreed as the group moved forward.

It was then that they encountered something unusual.

"A gravestone?" The Shadow thought aloud.

On it the following was inscribed…

Jared Macintosh, born 1920, died 1943. Died a hero.

"Do you think that Dr. Lane or someone in his party dug this?" The Shadow continued.

"My guess would be yes." Indy assumed.

Tarzan's tracking indicated that the trail led into the central temple of the ruins strait ahead. Likewise Abby told them that was where the scent of Doctor Lane was strongest. They followed it there and slowly entered the ancient shrine as Indy pulled out a flashlight. After traveling down a long hallway they reached a sealed stone door.

"Great, how do we get through?" The Slayer asked.

"How about some more of those grenades Dr. Jones?" The Shadow advised.

"No wait, there's something here." Indy told them.

"What is it?" Abby asked.

"Yep, just as I thought. Ancient Akkadian, apparently Rashi script." Indy offered.

"Can you read it?" The Shadow asked.

"Well, they're just random letters. One on each stone. Unless…" Indy began to say as he started to reach out towards one of the stone slabs with his right hand.

"Wait!" Abby suggested grabbing Indy's hand.

"What's wrong?"

"Something doesn't seem right here. Are these supposed to be in a certain order?" Abby asked.

"Yes, why?"

"Humor me for a moment." She said as she picked up a stick upon the ground and pressed against the button that Indy would have touched only to have a sharp spike abruptly protrude from it where his hand would have been.

"How did you know? Do you know this language? " The Shadow pondered aloud.

"No, but I have a very old puzzle with these same markings on it. It took me longer to solve it than any other puzzle I have but I eventually figured out the right order for the symbols."

"Oh silly me, that's right, by 2000 BC Akkadian had evolved into Assyrian cuneiform, with many modifications to Sumerian orthography. The Semitic equivalents for many signs became distorted or abbreviated to form new "phonetic" values, because the syllabic nature of the script as refined by the Sumerians was unintuitive to Semitic speakers!" Indy elated with a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm.

Indy turned back around to see everyone looking at him with blank beady eyed stares.

"Sorry, I tend to get carried away, anyways, let me think…we're dealing with Assyrian…there are nine stones and…of course!"

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"These are the first letters of the nine Sumerian gods and goddesses of Mesopotamia!"

"Huh?" The Slayer responded cluelessly.

" 'An' would be first, so…" Indy began as he extended his right hand and pressed the according stone.

As he did the wall itself began to rise up but after only making it about a foot off the ground it dropped back down again.

"What the Hell?" The Slayer spat.

"There's a pattern, alphabetically the next should be 'Enki'." Indy told them as he pressed the according switch causing the wall to raise again.

This time it went a little higher but then quickly fell back down again.

"Then 'Enlil'." He went on pressing the next as it raised the wall higher still, "Followed by 'Ereshkigal'…"

After several more of these the wall raised high enough to get through but then started to fall again as the Slayer and Abby used their metahuman strength to hold it up while the others went through.

"Try to be quick, we don't want to be standing here holding this thing up all day." The Slayer complained.

"Actually, that won't be necessary." Indy informed them as he pointed to a lever on the wall next to them, "My guess is that this is how it is opened from this side, let it drop."

"What if you're wrong?" Abby questioned.

"Do you remember the sequence that I hit the buttons in?"

"Yes." Abby said.

"Then just step out on the other side in case it doesn't work." He said as the vampire and the Slayer let it go.

The wall dropped back down and Dr. Jones then reached up and shifted the lever. A couple of seconds later the door lifted all the way back up again as Abby and Elizabeth stepped through before it came back down again.

"Just what in the Hell was the point of all that?" The Slayer complained.

"Yes it all makes sense now. This place was once a treasure chamber, thus the reason for the booby trapped door. The runes upon the walls in here tell the tale of it's origin. Makes sense that Lane would use this temple. It would make a fitting refuge from the perils of this Godforsaken place." Indy spoke.

"Come, we go." Tarzan insisted.

After traveling a short distance down the corridor they found themselves standing at the entrance to a massive cavern that had seemingly been converted into a living space of sorts. And sitting at a stone table…was Reinhardt Lane.

"Well hello there. I must admit I don't get many visitors down here." The aged scientist joked.

It was then that The Shadow stepped into view.

"The Shadow?" Reinhardt said with surprise.

"He is your friend, maybe you should do the talking?" Indy proposed.

"Hello Reinhardt." The Shadow greeted him.

"What are you doing here?"

"We've come to get you, to bring you back."

"I see. Well, I'm afraid that you've wasted your time."

"We nearly died trying to find you."

"I never asked to be found. I came here for a reason."

"Your country needs you."

"Technically my country is England, I was born and raised in Burnley, Lancashire."

"But you came to America, became a citizen, worked for the U.S. government."

"Indeed I did, but that was a different time. The world is changing, and I don't like the direction that it's heading."

"It will be where the Axis wants to lead it if you don't help us."

"No."

"Doctor please!"

"Don't you understand? They want the bomb, they want to use it, just as Shi-wan Khan wanted to. It can never be used, man was never meant to wield such destructive power." Reinhardt said turning away.

"So you risk death by coming here? What became of the expedition that you were a part of?"

"All dead. Some were killed by the natural perils of this land, the rest died after a nasty run in with an aboriginal tribe that wanted to sacrifice us to their god."

"Must've been the Barukkuu." Indy muttered.

"And the headstone outside?"

"Ah yes. Jared, best intern I ever had. When the last of our group were taken prisoner by the savages, we tried to make a break for it. I watched them get picked off one by one. Jared was the last, he stepped into the path of an arrow meant for me. In retrospect perhaps it would have been better if I had died, that way the terrible secrets of the atom bomb would have died with me. But in any case, coming here, risking what we did? It's all worth it if the bomb is never used. The deaths of my compatriots shall not be in vain.

"I'm afraid that you may have done this all for nothing. The Nazis are making their own atom bomb as we speak." The Shadow informed him as Reinhardt froze at the revelation.

"What? Are you serious?" He asked turning back towards The Shadow.

"I'm afraid so. You know what would happen if the Fuhrer were to gain control of such a weapon."

A look of sheer dread came across Reinhardt's face as he considered the possibilities.

"But that isn't possible, no one knows how to properly assemble it but me."

"We think that perhaps Farley Claymore may have been double dealing behind Shi-wan Khan's back while he was in his employ. Back when you were under their control and created the first bomb. Obviously one way or another, those plans for the bomb have fallen into Nazi hands."

"So it's become a race then?"

"Unfortunately yes."

"With this kind of technology, we could very well destroy ourselves and the world that we live upon."

"Not if the Axis does it first…and you know they will."

With obvious frustration Reinhardt ran his right hand through his hair as he hung his head deep in thought. The truth was there really was no right choice. The power of the atom would be unlocked one way or another, whether he liked it or not. But even he knew that in the hands of the Nazis, the worst case scenario would most certainly come to pass.

He was left with no choice.

"Very well…you have me." He finally relented as he lifted his head.

He then stood up from his resting place and walked over to them.

With Reinhardt successfully procured, the group began their trek back to the village.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once they had returned Abby wandered into a cave where the local villagers had painted the story of how David and Abner first came to Pellucidar long ago. It showed everything that had transpired. The Mahars, the Sagoths, Baga's father Ghak, brave Ra, Hoojah the sly one, Jubal the ugly one and much more. It also showed the wedding ceremony of David and Princess Dia. Abby reached up and touched it as her imagination raced.

"Ah to be young again, what memories those were," David suddenly said walking into the cave as Abby turned to regard him, "A piece of advice little one, if Sawyer can make you human again and you do meet someone special someday? Cling to them and fight for them with all you're worth, or you will live to regret it. Trust me…I do."

But just then the Slayer stomped into the cave with her wooden stake in hand.

"Time to die bloodsucker." She hissed as she moved towards Abby.

"Not this again, Mrs. Winters, remember what we came here for." David tried to intervene.

"The mission is done, we accomplished what we came here to do, now I'm going to accomplish what I came in here to do." She threatened.

"Why? I have done nothing to you." Abby pleaded.

"You're a vampire, I'm a Slayer, do the math you stupid little leech!" She insulted.

"They hurt you didn't they?" Abby deduced.

"What?"

"You may be a Slayer, but you don't just hunt vampires, you hate them."

"Shut up."

"Something bad happened. Maybe to you or to someone you cared about?"

"I said shut up! You don't know anything!"

"I know what pain looks like, I know what misery is. I see it everyday when I look in the mirror."

"Shut your fucking mouth!"

"No matter how many you kill…it won't change the past."

Finally Elizabeth could take no more as she charged forward with a yell. David tried to bar her path but she easily knocked the old man aside as he hit the ground.

Abby barely ducked a kick that cracked the rock wall of the cave as Elizabeth went on the offensive. The tiny vampire used her speed and reflexes to dodge the Slayer's swings but Abby was running on sheer instinct whereas Elizabeth had been specially trained. It was only a matter of time before one of her kicks caught her as Abby slammed hard into the cave wall. Elizabeth lunged only to have Abby blindly lash out raking her face with her claws as she staggered back. Elizabeth looked up only to have Abby head butt her between the eyes as she fell onto her back. Abby had had enough, she was out for blood now as she pounced. But the Slayer was ready as she thrust both of her legs up drilling her feet hard into Abby's torso and sending her flying overtop of her. She landed headfirst with a thud but quickly righted herself, however Elizabeth was already in mid-charge with her stake at the ready. Abby knew she wasn't going to be able to dodge it in time, but just then David tripped the Slayer up giving Abby just enough time to sidestep the attack. Elizabeth stumbled forward as suddenly half a dozen organic darts shot into her chest.

She looked down at them for a few seconds before attempting to mumble…

"Son of a…"

She then collapsed.

Abby looked over at the mouth of the cave to see Indy standing with several villagers holding blowguns.

"What was that?" She asked.

"A dart with a potent narcotic toxin that comes from a plant native to Pellucidar. One is powerful enough to put a full grown man to sleep for three days. Since she got hit with six I wager that regardless of her Slayer resiliency we should be back on the surface and you long gone before she even begins to wake up." Indy explained with a smug grin.

"Thank you, both." She said as she looked back and forth between Indy and David who was having trouble getting back up as Abby rushed over to help him.

"I'm getting too old for this." David groaned.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

In no time the group was ready for their departure, the Iron Mole had retractable tank treads capable of moving the machine short distances that had been installed to make it easier to properly position it for drilling. But as everyone gathered David made a surprise announcement.

"I'm not going."

"What?" The Shadow asked.

"I'm staying here, I'm not making the same mistake twice." He said as Dia walked up next to him, "whatever years we have left…we will spend them together." He went on as he looked over at his wife.

"Well uh, not that we don't understand and that we're not happy for ya and such, but uh, how are we supposed to get back to the surface without a pilot for the Iron Mole?" Indy asked.

"Dr. Lane knows how to operate the machine, for him it was mere child's play to learn the controls."

"What she would we tell Sawyer?" Abby spoke.

"Tell him I died here, that I didn't make it back. I don't want him sending a rescue party searching for me."

"Fair enough." The Shadow agreed.

With that the rest of the group boarded and soon enough the Iron Mole roared to life as they began their journey home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once they had gotten back to the surface Abby waited patiently near where the Iron Mole was currently docked in the subterranean compound. Just then Sawyer walked in, he couldn't help but notice that she seemed nervous.

"Don't worry Abby, it won't hurt, you'll be just fine and soon you will have that which you lost so long ago.

"Not that I'm not grateful for what you are about to do for me, but what am I supposed to do once I am human again? My family, my old life, everything that I ever knew has been dead and gone for hundreds of years."

"Do not worry, I have made special arrangements for you. I already have a family lined up for adopting you and if need be, psychotherapy to help you cope with the life you have lived thus far. The last part is entirely up to you of course, I for one believe that the best medicine for a broken mind and heart is people who love you, and the new family that you will be with soon are truly wonderful people."

In no time a shaman draped in various robes with a Middle eastern flair was in the room with them as he spoke an ancient and powerful incantation, a magic spell that would restore Abby's humanity. As the unnatural alchemy reached its crescendo Abby's mind raced as she fantasized about various things. Never having to kill another person to sustain herself ever again. What it would be like to be a part of a family once more, walking in the sunlight without fear, the taste of real food that she had forgotten so long ago and more. True, it wouldn't be perfect and the horrors of her past life would more than likely haunt her for the rest of her life, but it was a cross that she was willing to bear if it meant that she could be a normal girl again.

When the spell was finished however the mystic had a look of confusion upon his face.

"What's wrong?" Sawyer asked.

"Hmmm…well uh, this is kinda embarrassing."

"What?"

"Nothing is happening."

"What? Abby, how do you feel?"

"The same, nothing has changed."

"How is that possible? Are you sure you cast the spell properly?" Sawyer said turning back towards the wizard who seemed to be somewhat insulted at what Sawyer was suggesting.

"I've been a master of mystical arts for nearly 30 years, I assure that I know what I am doing."

"Then why didn't it work?" Sawyer shot back with a exasperated huff.

"Truthfully…I just don't know."

"Is there another spell that you can try that will achieve the same result?"

"No."

"Well, then try the first one again."

"If it didn't work the first time it won't work the second."

"Is there nothing else that you can do?"

"No…I am afraid not." The mage finally admitted.

Sawyer hung his head in defeat before looking up at Abby who looked none too happy.

"Abby, I'm sorry, but it appears that I will not be able to keep my promise to you."

"You said you would make me human again! That I wouldn't have to feed or kill anymore!" She yelled.

"I know, but there is nothing else that we can do, again, I am sorry."

"Sorry doesn't change anything! Sorry doesn't give me my humanity back!" She roared as her child-like voice gave way to a darker demonic one as she proceeded to destroy everything she could get her hands on in her rage and frustration.

When she was finished Abby became a little girl once more as she sat huddled upon the floor crying.

After a long period of silence Sawyer finally spoke up once more.

"I know that nothing I say can give you solace, but trust me when I say that you have done this country a great service and saved the lives of millions. I know that none of that really matters to you, but it means everything to me. All I can say Abby is that I can't thank you enough and I hope that someday you find what you are looking for and gain some semblance of peace and happiness."

Abby said nothing in return, her only response was to slowly float up off the floor and whisk out of the hangar. Sawyer's face was full of regret as he turned back to the shaman.

"I don't suppose you can explain what just happened?"

"I'm not sure. I'm telling you I have used this spell before and it has never failed me, not once."

"Then why was this the exception?"

"I don't know, perhaps there is a higher power at work here, something preventing the spell from doing its job."

"So you're saying that she's cursed to be like this forever? Is that her fate?"

"Perhaps fate has something else in store for her."

"Like what?"

"Who knows, only time will tell," The magic user began to say as he and Sawyer walked up to the hangar entrance and watched Abby fly away, "And for someone like Abby, time…is all that she has…


	8. Choices

Okay folks, gonna warn you now that if you haven't read the original Child Of Fate, the chapters starting with this one and future chapters may confuse you.

Also, the angel Saragael appears in this tale, who was first mentioned in chapter 6 of the original 'Child Of Fate' story. And I've given him an interesting crossover background that savvy TV watchers of the 1970s and 80s will hopefully get a kick out of. Granted I dropped some pretty heavy handed hints.

This chapter is dedicated to Spitfire1941, the individual who first gave me the idea for this story. It wouldn't have been written without him. :)

Story takes place during the course of the film Let Me In.

X

CHOICES

X

X

Los Alamos New Mexico

March 1983

"_Another night, another town." _Abby thought to herself as she and Thomas walked down the hallway of the apartment complex they had chosen to take residence in.

She waited patiently as he fiddled with the room key until he managed to get the door open. After he had stepped in and placed the trunk he was carrying upon the floor he turned to Abby.

"Come in." He said in a very disconnected manner.

Abby then stepped in as he closed the door behind them. He then strode over to a couch and sat down upon it tiredly tilting his head back.

"Thomas?" She called to him, but he didn't answer her right away.

"…yeah?"

"We're you going out tonight?"

"You're hungry again already?" He asked looking at her as she nodded.

He let out a fatigued sigh.

"Can you hold out until tomorrow night? I've been driving all day and I'm exhausted truthfully. I'm really not in any condition right now."

"Yeah…I guess so." She said with a lot more despondence than she intended to let on. They didn't speak again for the rest of the night.

Abby couldn't help but think back to a happier time. Back when he was young and far more compliant. But Thomas was now old and weary. They had once been the closest of friends and truly enjoyed one another's company. Back then, what they shared together helped to distract her from her loathsome existence…but not anymore. Occasionally she would catch him shooting her an almost hateful glance. As if he had regretted the choice that he had made.

Abby had had previous caretakers, but none of them had lived for long for various reasons. Thomas had been the first to make it this far. But now that she thought upon it, she couldn't help but wonder of it was a fate worse than death. Perhaps the ones who had died long ago were the lucky ones.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Heaven.

The angel Castiel currently found himself surrounded by a multitude of the heavenly host, being interrogated for lack of a better term because of his recent actions. He was in a room that was filled with a white blinding light. A light so powerful that if a mere mortal were to gaze upon it, it would burn their eyes out of their sockets. No other forms could be seen in the room. If not for the voices that were about to speak, one would think that Castiel was alone.

"You were placed on Earth to pull Dean Winchester out of Hell and then monitor him and his brother closely, is that not true?"

"It is. And I accomplished those tasks. I did as I was ordered." Castiel answered.

"But you were not ordered to rescue a vampire child."

"No, that I did of my own volition…to a certain extent."

"To a certain extent? What is that supposed to mean?"

"I felt as if an unseen force was driving me to her, urging me to save her."

"So you did so against your own will?"

"To a certain degree yes."

"Did you try to resist?"

"…no."

"And why not?"

"Because…it felt right."

"A bloodsucking monster that has left a trail of bodies behind it. That will assuredly kill again now that you have saved it. And you say that 'it felt right'?" The leader of the tribunal declared as the hall erupted into a caterwauling chaos of mixed voices before a loud horn was sounded silencing them all.

"It is the ruling of this holy magistrate that you have acted with questionable conduct and motives in regards to this matter and as such you shall be-"

But before the final verdict could be handed down another angel appeared in the room, Saragael, friend and ally to Castiel. His human vessel had short curly brown hair and wore a brown leather jacket and blue jeans.

"Saragael? What are you doing here?" The ruling judge asked.

"I ask this court for leniency in this case my brethren."

"Saragael. You hold the highest of respect from your peers, but this is a closed session that you were not invited to. And further more, what reason do we have to grant leniency?"

"I ask this ruling body to take Castiel's service record into account. His acts of faith, merit and unquestionable servitude in the name of our father since the beginning of time. Ask yourselves, have his instincts ever proven wrong before. Was it not he who first spotted the seeds of doubt and pride in the arch angel Lucifer, only to be dismissed and ignored by higher ranking angels who thought they knew better?"

"Choose your words carefully Saragael."

"I mean no disrespect my brothers. I apologize if that was the belief that my statement implied. All that I am saying is that perhaps he should be allowed to play this scenario out? To see where it leads? In all truth…what could it hurt? His interaction with the vampire does nothing to jeopardize his mission on Earth with the Winchesters."

"Perhaps not, but free will is a hallmark of the human race, not angels. We are soldiers, we do as we are ordered. That is God's law. To deviate from that course is to invite disaster."

"I understand. You feel that he has made committed an error in his reasoning, but is he to be punished for that? Are you assuming that we are perfect beings who do not make mistakes? No, only our Lord and father is perfect. Even we celestials are susceptible to the occasional flaw, are we not?"

A period of silence followed Saragael's statement as the council contemplated his words.

"You speak with much wisdom my friend. As such, we shall grant your request for leniency. The angel Castiel will be placed on a probationary watch for his conduct in the future. I trust you shall not forget what has transpired here, Castiel?"

"No, I shall not."

"Very well, this assembly…is adjourned."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Sometime later, back on Earth.

"It's you again, huh?" Abby said followed by an awkward silence before she spoke again.

"You know, I really want to be left alone."

"Me too." Owen responded.

"So leave."

"You leave. I've lived here longer than you." Owen shot back defensively.

Castiel watched what was transpiring completely invisible to them, there was something special about this boy, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

"What is that?" Abby asked taking notice of the Rubik's cube Owen had in his hands.

"What, this?" Owen replied looking over his shoulder at Abby holding up the cube as she seemingly recoiled from his innocent question, "It's a Rubik's Cube. You don't know Rubik's Cube?" He went on.

"Is it a puzzle?" Abby pressed on, despite her awkwardness.

"Yeah. You want to try it? You can give it back tomorrow." He said outstretching it towards her as he placed it on the jungle gym in between where they were sitting.

"How do you do it?" Abby asked as Owen got up and then slid himself a little closer to her as he picked the puzzle back up in his hands.

"You gotta get each side one color." He told her as he started to fumble with it again as she looked on, "Like that." He continued as he placed it next to where she was sitting.

Abby then picked it up in her hands finally and began to twist it this way and that as suddenly a rather embarrassing gurgle escaped her stomach as Owen looked at her, what he said next didn't help matters any.

"You smell kinda funny." He said rather matter of factly as Abby glanced at him for a brief moment before returning her attention to the puzzle.

Owen than saw Abby's bare snow covered feet.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked.

"I don't really get cold." She stated truthfully. This time not looking at him as she remained focused on the cube.

Several moments of awkward silence followed.

"I guess…I'll see you tomorrow." Owen said as he slowly got up and walked away.

As he did so Abby stopped playing with the puzzle briefly to watch him leave.

But Abby wasn't the only one watching.

Castiel realized that something important was happening here…but what? But his train of thought was interrupted by another of Abby's painful stomach spasms as she doubled over in agony, dropping the puzzle in the snow in the process.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

In a lonely tunnel not too far from the apartment courtyard Castiel looked down at the hapless mortal who had been unfortunate enough to be Abby's next victim. As he did so he suddenly found himself shaken by doubt, a dangerous prospect for an angel of God for many reasons. Had he made a mistake by saving Abby? Should he have left her to die on that street where he first found her? Was the tribunal right?

As he stood there a random reaper appeared, invisible to mortals just as Castiel was at the moment. It then reached down and placed its hand upon the poor man's body. At that moment the man's ethereal essence or soul as it were lifted out of him as both it and the reaper then vanished from sight.

"Your thoughts betray you my old friend." A voice suddenly said to Castiel's right as he lifted his head in the direction of the voice.

"Saragael?"

"Hello Castiel."

"What brings you here?"

"You, actually."

"Yes, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for speaking on my behalf. It is hard to tell what would have become of me if you had not."

"Think nothing of it my friend…though the rest of your garrison thinks your nuts, especially Uriel."

"I am well aware."

"You've dodged a bullet Castiel. If you are brought before the heavenly host again I cannot promise that I will be able to help you."

"I understand."

"I sense doubt in you. At one time you seemed very sure of your course of action in this matter."

"Indeed I did."

"Has that changed?"

"I…I don't know."

"Really? You swore to me that this vampire child was special did you not?"

"She still is, you know that, I've already explained why."

"Yes, the whole soul business."

"But now I am…unsure."

"Because of the lives she has taken?"

"She's been killing for centuries, long before I found her."

"That's true, but the truth is you feel somewhat responsible for what is happening in this town…don't you? Because you allowed her to live?"

"…yes."

"What does your gut tell you."

"That she still has an important destiny…even if I'm not rightly sure what it is."

"Do the ends justify the means?"

"Once again…I don't know."

"Are you even really sure why you saved her in the first place?"

"I was compelled to. By something greater than myself. I was helpless to resist the compulsion that possessed me even if I had wanted to."

"Are you saying that you think this is God's will?"

"I don't know. I wish I did."

"Well, as they say, the Lord-"

"Works in mysterious ways, I know. You're preaching to the choir Saragael."

"Well then, perhaps he's testing you."

"To what end?"

"That my friend, is the real question isn't it?"

"Yes, I suppose it is."

"Zachariah isn't too pleased with you though. First your issues with the Winchesters and now this. You're treading on dangerous water my friend."

"I know. You risk much by standing with me. You are the most favored angel in our garrison. So much so that you were given the choice of having the mortal body you lived in life as a human as your current vessel. Though God created all of us before he created mankind, you remain one of a very select few mortals who was gifted by being turned into an angel after your death. For a celestial so young the things you have accomplished are nothing short of amazing."

"Ah, such happy times those were. Winoka South Dakota, back in the 1880s. Of course back then I was known as Charles Ingalls."

"Indeed. Devout servant of God and hard working family man."

"Yes, I even had me a little house on the prairie."

"With all of that in mind, perhaps it is best that you do not socialize with me. In the eyes of our superiors you may be putting a blemish on that spotless resume of yours by doing so."

"Maybe, but I would never desert you my old friend." Saragael said as he walked up to Castiel and outstretched his right hand.

"You were always a good friend Saragael." Castiel replied as he reached out his own hand to shake his.

"And as your friend, may I suggest something?"

"What?"

"Trust your gut…something deep down tells me that you're right."

"But what if I am wrong?"

"Well, then I guess it is a matter of faith. How strong is yours Castiel?"

After that Saragael disappeared.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

A short time later Castiel found himself watching Thomas clumsily attempt to hide the body of Abby's last feeding. This poor tortured soul, who would obviously be damned to Hell for his sins. Sins he had committed in the name of love. More doubt plagued the angel, the road to Hell was often paved with good intentions. Were his superiors right. Was he making a terrible mistake?

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"How did you do it?" Owen asked with a face full of wonder.

"I just…twisted it." She said as Owen sat down near her on the jungle gym, "Do I smell better now?"

"What's your name?" Owen asked as he looked up at her.

"Abby. What's yours?"

"I'm Owen. How old are you?"

"Twelve. More or less. What about you?"

"Twelve years, eight months and nine days. What do you mean more or less? When's your birthday?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? Don't you celebrate your birthday?" Owen asked as Abby very subtly shook her head, "Do you get birthday presents?"

"No."

Owen for a moment was awash in contemplation.

"Well, you can have this if you want." He said as he placed the Rubik's Cube next to her.

"That's okay. It's yours." Abby said as she watched Owen's happy expression dim slightly.

"_Sigh, he was trying to be nice to me and I shut him down. My people skills were never that good." _She thought to herself.

"I still don't get how you did this?" Owen said.

"_Hmm, maybe I can turn this around." _Abby pondered.

"Want me to show you?" She offered with a warm smile.

"Yeah." Owen replied as his face lit up all over again.

Abby then slid down next to him, the two them being unable to stop smiling at each all the while.

Castiel stood nearby watching the exchange. It was very different from the night before. All the uncomfortable tension had been drained out of the air. Something amazing was happening here. Something between the two of them. Was it…love? An instant later the angel thought he had heard something and quickly spun around…but there was nothing there…or so he thought.

Invisible even to Castiel was a cupid, a lower form of angel. He had just finished weaving his unique brand of magic as he returned to Heaven to receive new orders.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back at the apartment, Abby lie on her makeshift bed, dealing with an inner conflict as she proceeded to have a mental argument with herself.

_Abby, what are you doing? We have a rule…no friends. We've had it for a long time now. It results in too much sadness, too much pain. But no, you'll go back out to that jungle gym again tomorrow night won't you, hoping that you'll see him again. We should stop this now, he doesn't know what we are yet. You know this can't end well._

_What are you thinking?_

But that was just it, Abby wasn't thinking, she was feeling…and what she was feeling…was love.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Here try em, they're good. They're my favorite, they're really really good." Owen said handing one of his Now & Later candies to her.

"Uh, no thanks." Abby said as she watched Owen's face fill with sudden hurt.

"Anything else?" The store clerk asked.

"Uh, just these then."

There were a few moments of silence that followed when…

"Well, I guess I could try one." Abby spoke.

"Really?" Owen said as his smile retuned once more, to which Abby nodded.

He then handed her one of the candies as she reached her own hand out to take it, it was then that her inner voice started to yell at her.

"Abby, what the Hell are you doing? You know what will happen of you eat that!"

Moments later she was in the parking lot outside retching it up as she used a car to help steady herself as she bent over.

When she was finished and had recovered she stood back up to see Owen staring at her, unsure of what he was going to do next.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

It was then that he rushed up and hugged her.

"Owen, do you like me?"

"Yeah…allot."

"Would you still like me if...I wasn't a girl."

"Sure, I guess."

At that moment she was ready and willing to bare her heart and soul to him. She wanted to so badly, but she was still unsure of how he would handle the truth of what she was and her existence.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After killing the policeman Abby emerged from the bathroom. She saw Owen standing there with his back to her and his hands over his ears. She then slowly walked up to him and slipped her arms around him from behind.

"Thank you." She said, but her inner thoughts were saying so much more.

_My God the way he's shaking, he's terrified. But of what? Is it me? Is it what I did…or what he allowed me to do?_

_This is why I don't have friends, this is why we can't be together…no matter how much I might want it._

Abby did love Owen with all of her heart, and it was because she loved him…that she would have to let him go.

The next night…

In a fitful slumber, Abby dreamed. Normally she was haunted by nightmares of her past, of all the things she had done as a vampire. But this was…different. She was surrounded by a strange mist, with seemingly nothing else around her for as far as she could see. Then, a figure began to materialize before her, foggy at first but eventually becoming clearer.

"Abigail?" The figure called out to her.

"Who's there?"

It was then that the origin of the voice came into full view at last.

"Castiel?"

"You must wake up Abby."

'What?"

"You must return to Los Alamos…to him, to Owen."

"No…I can't."

"If you don't…he will die."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Wake up Abby, wake up…now." He finished as he outstretched his hand and touched his right index and middle fingers to her forehead.

In an instant she did exactly that, in a sewer drain that she had taken refuge from the daylight in just outside of Los Alamos, but now night had fallen. Suddenly a rush of images flooded her mind. She could suddenly see through the eyes of another. She was running…but where, and why. She was rushing past several lockers as she flung one open to pull out a pocket knife. She recognized it.

"_That's Owen's knife."_

She then turned with it in hand, now facing a group of boys of various ages. They halted for but a moment.

"What are you gonna do with that?" The eldest of them spoke before charging forward, not the least bit intimidated.

"No, no, no, no stop!" A familiar voice cried out as they grabbed her.

"_Owen!" _Abby realized.

What she was seeing, it was real, and it was happening right now! She realized that she had formed a psychic link with Owen back in Los Alamos after she had asked him to "be me a little".

Abby then took off like a bolt into the night sky back towards Los Alamos, using her connection to Owen to guide her to where he was.

As she flew along, she could still see and feel everything that Owen was as he was pulled kicking and screaming from the locker room towards the pool, before being picked up and thrown into the water. Though she didn't breath herself, she could feel the water surging into Owen's lungs as he gasped for breath. Her pace quickened as she pushed herself to fly faster than she ever had in her life!

"We're gonna have a little contest okay? You stay underwater for…", The oldest boy started to say as he glanced over at a wall clock, "Three minutes. If you can do it, I'll just give you a little nick, on your cheek. But if you can't, I'm gonna poke out one of your eyes. Got it? An eye for an ear. Three minutes. You'd better take a deep breath." He said as he shoved Owen underwater.

Abby could feel the oxygen quickly escaping Owen's body. His lungs struggling, his chest tightening, his desperation and fear growing. But growing with it…was Abby's anger.

The boys were completely unprepared for what came crashing through the glass door nearby. By the time that Abby had reached the pool, there was no trace of Abby left, only the monster. But on this night she hadn't come just to take life, but to save one as well. One that meant more to her than her own.

Jimmy, the one holding Owen under the water, was the first to feel Abby's wrath as she flew across the pool towards them. She cleaved his head clean off his shoulders with one swing and then ripped his body from the arm that was grasping Owen's head. The others were frozen in terror as they screamed, which only made them easier prey. The next to go was Donald as his head was twisted all the way around and his right leg torn away. Kenny was next as his throat was ripped out, his arms broken and his torso mutilated as his intestines spilled onto the floor. Lastly was Mark whom Abby ripped into too many pieces to even be able to tell who he was anymore.

Amidst the blood caked carnage, Owen finally surfaced coughing and choking as he pulled himself up onto the side of the pool. When he finally looked up he saw Abby standing there looking down at him. Drenched in the blood of her victims she looked like something out of a nightmare, but to Owen…she was his angel of mercy.

And ironically enough, they both had a real angel to thank for their reunion.

As Abby looked down at Owen she couldn't help but think back to 1943. To David and Dia, what David had said to her and the proposed spell that was supposed to have made her human again. She thought back on how angry and heart broken she was then.

"_It didn't work…thank God it didn't work!" _She thought as Owen lunged up out of the pool and embraced her.

He didn't care that she was covered from head to toe in blood and viscera, he just didn't care! All he cared about was her and that she had returned to him. They hugged each other impossibly tight as they both broke down into tears of joy.

Abby now realized that what she had with Owen was better than anything that Sawyer could ever have promised her. Owen was her happiness…all the happiness she would ever need.

From this moment forward…they would never be apart. An unspoken vow was taken that very second. And whatever fate awaited them…they would face it together.

From Heaven Castiel watched everything that had unfolded. He shuddered. He wanted Abby to save Owen, but he had no idea that she was going to slaughter the other children. But had he not intervened, Owen surely would have died. What was right? What was wrong? Even he wasn't sure anymore. But what he was sure of is that there was something deep down inside of him that told him that he needed to be saved, that they needed to be together. He would stay this path, to whatever end, despite his doubts. He needed to know what it was that was coercing him to do these things. He needed to know what Abby and Owen's future held. And only the future, would give him those answers.


	9. All In The Family

This story idea was originally conceived by the genius of TorontoBatFan and pretty much the entire Collinwood sequence towards the end was his brainchild. Kudos to him for his invaluable help and assitance on this chapter. And be sure to show him some love and check out his fics as well. :)

Story takes place in between chapter 9(A New Beginning) and chapter 10(Hitting Girls And Kicking Ass) of Child Of Fate.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

X

X

Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Singer's Auto Salvage.

Bobby's Den.

Present day.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This seems like a gross misuse of my powers." Castiel suggested.

"Dude don't be a buzz kill. After all the crap that we've been through lately we deserve a day off." Dean argued.

"What is the point of traveling back in time to 1973 to watch a sporting event that you already know the outcome of?"

"C'mon man, haven't you ever heard of the saying that it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game?"

"No."

"You know what, deal with it. You ain't raining on my parade." Dean countered as he put a Collinsport Conquistadors cap on his head and then put one on Castiel's head as well.

The angel's eyes lifted up at the hat that now rested upon his brow before returning his gaze to Dean with a bemused expression.

"C'mon, lets get this show on the road." Dean went on patting Castiel on the head and then putting his arm over the angel's shoulder as he led him along, "Sam, Abby, Owen! You guys ready?"

"Coming!" Owen shouted as he rushed out with Abby in hot pursuit with Sam bringing up the rear, they were all dressed accordingly with matching jerseys.

"The Collinsport Conquistadors? Seriously?" Sam ridiculed as he looked down at himself, "Where did you even find these?"

"Such is the wonder of eBay Sammy."

"And I can't help but wonder why in God's name you would support a team like this."

"We are not having this discussion again Sammy." Dean responded defensively.

"Maybe that's because you don't want to acknowledge the fact that they are potentially the worst team in the history of the minor leagues."

"Oh really? A team sooo bad that they almost upset the New York Mets?"

"It was a fluke Dean. They played what was probably the only good game in their entire career and then were disbanded a year later."

"You're the one in denial here Sammy not me. You want to know the real reason that the Mets got their first loss of 1973 to the Philadelphia Phillies? Because their near defeat at the hands of the Conquistadors a week prior shook them up that's why. It threw them off their game and they blew it, simple as that."

"Oh you are sooo full of crap. Dean you weren't even alive yet." Sam laughed shaking his head.

"Doesn't matter, Dad was there, he told me the story once I was old enough."

"You ever consider rooting for a real team, like say, the Yankees?" Sam chided his big brother.

"Ignore the nonbeliever guys." Dean joked turning to the others.

Abby and Owen just started giggling at the exchange while Castiel looked on in a state of confusion about the whole affair. Just then Bobby walked out of his house and right up to Sam.

"Here's the moolah you're going to need." He said handing over a large wad of bills.

"Was it difficult to come by?" Sam asked.

"Hell yes, most of the old style bills were taken out of circulation years ago. Here's hoping that whomever you hand these to don't take a close look at the issue date or allot of funny questions are gonna get asked."

Owen meanwhile was still getting used to the style of currency used in the United States now, considering how different it looked in 1983, which was what he was used to. To him the new money looked like Monopoly money.

"I think we'll be fine, thanks Bobby." Sam said.

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Abby asked.

"Love to kids, but time traveling just ain't my thing."

"Well guys, lets go." Dean proclaimed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

In no time Castiel had whisked them back to the night of April 8th, 1973 to the town of Collinsport Maine, where the game was about to take place at the minor league field known as Fisherman's Stadium. As they sat in the stands Dean realized that Castiel was staring at him curiously as the Winchester attempted to practically stuff a whole hot dog in his mouth.

"What?" Dean asked in a muffled mouth full of food voice.

"What is that you are ingesting?" The angel asked.

"This…" He started to say as he gulped the rest of his bite down so that he could better speak, "Is good old fashioned Americana, Cass."

"I don't understand."

"It's called a hot dog." Sam told him.

"Is it supposed to be food?" The angel inquired.

"Food? This is more than just food it's Heaven on a bun!" Dean defended as he took another bite.

"Indeed. Well, your so called Heaven on a bun appears to be full of various components that in all truth are not meant for human consumption. Further more, closer scrutiny of this item reveals that access intake of this 'food' will most certainly result in failure of several internal organs over a long period of time."

"This coming from the guy who ate over a hundred cheeseburgers." Dean pointed out.

"That was different, I was under the influence of the horseman Famine when I did that."

"Cass, what did we discuss before we left?"

"Sorry."

"Oh c'mon leave Cassie alone." Abby smiled.

"No body insults the almighty hot dog on my watch, Owen would agree right big man!" Dean said as he looked down past Abby, but Owen could not speak because he was in the process of trying to stuff two hotdogs at once in his mouth.

Dean eyed Owen almost enviously and Sam could read his big brother's mind.

"Dean? Please tell me you're not thinking about trying to challenge Owen and Abby to another hotdog eating contest are you? The last time we had to have your stomach pumped."

"They got lucky is all, I'll take em this time! Besides, if a tiny skinny Japanese guy can eat 69 hotdogs so can I!" Dean gloated.

"Oh boy, ICU here we come." Sam mumbled shaking his head.

Just then a voice rang out over the loud speaker.

"And now to toss out the first ball of the game, Collinsport's very own Barnabas Collins." The announcer spoke as the over two hundred year old vampire approached home plate.

The announcement of the name elicited a mixed response from the crowd. Some cheers, some boos, and a few scattered claps, while the remainder of those in attendance remained silent, as if unsure how to react. After the Angelique fiasco, the Collins had attempted to get back into the good graces of the townspeople. Collinwood and Collins Cannery had both just recently been rebuilt but were still in the process of being completed with various interior renovations still ongoing. On top of this Barnabas had used his wealth and influence(in more ways than one) to smooth things over with the local authorities. Angel Bay Cannery was currently in a state of disarray, considering that Angelique had no living relatives to pass the business onto. In the meantime it had been shut down until such time that the matter could be resolved. Thusly the Collins Cannery was more than happy to swoop in and save the day as it were. Considering that the very town itself lived off of the sea and the bounty it provided, it was the community's life blood. He hoped that it would help them to reconnect to the citizens of Collinsport and end the awkward stigma that had haunted their family for generations.

Another example was this baseball game, a good will gesture to the community that hopefully would also stimulate the local economy. The sad truth was, that the Collinsport Conquistadors were no where near the caliber of team necessary to compete against the likes of the Mets. The only reason this game was even happening was because Barnabas had pulled some strings, threw around some money and made use of his hypnotic abilities to pull everything together.

Meanwhile up in the stands Elizabeth, Carolyn, David and Vicky, watched what was transpiring.

"He's not going to embarrass us again is he?" Carolyn asked.

"Don't be so melodramatic Carolyn, I'm sure he'll do just fine. What harm could come from throwing a baseball?" her mother answered.

As Barnabas walked up to the umpire he was handed the baseball that would be used. He looked at it curiously before turning back to the umpire.

"What am I to do with this thing?"

"You throw it moron." The umpire stated bluntly.

Ignoring the insult Barnabas turned back around facing the field and then heaved back for a mighty throw. The ball left his hand with amazing speed as everyone watched it soar through the air. However, it kept going until it flew clean out of the ball park and landed somewhere unseen far off in the distance. This was punctuated by the sounds of a loud crash, a scream, an explosion of some sort and then finally a plume of smoke. Everyone looked on with jaws agape as Barnabas turned back around with a smile as he bowed to the spectators, completely oblivious to what he had done or that he had even done anything wrong in the first place.

"Guy's got a hell of an arm, needs some sun though." Dean joked.

Meanwhile though Abby's senses were telling her that for some reason he wasn't what he seemed.

"_A vampire?" _She thought to herself.

On the other side of the stadium, the Collins family merely hung their heads, accept for Victoria, who couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Yep, that went really well." Carolyn said sarcastically as she proceeded to get up and walk away.

"Carolyn? Where are you going?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'm going for a walk, before the natives get restless and decide to break out the torches and pitchforks again."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Carolyn eventually made her way down to the concession stand, where something, or more accurately someone caught her eye. Owen was in the process of getting more hotdogs and sodas for the rest of the gang and Carolyn had to admit she liked what she saw. However, Carolyn's werewolf senses were telling her that there was something usual about this person. But seeing how she didn't have full access to her abilities while in human form she could quite place a finger on what she was picking up off of him. It made him very mysterious to her, which she liked all the more. Owen turned away from the vendor to head back up when he saw Carolyn standing before him.

"Oh crap!" Owen blurted out, "Abby you scared me."

"_Abby? Huh? What's with this guy?" _Carolyn thought to herself.

"Abby? Did you change your clothes? I didn't even see you bring another set with you. What happened, did you spill something on them?"

"_Interesting, he thinks I'm someone else. Fine I'll play along, this should be fun."_

"Here's your hot dog." Owen said handing it to her.

She took it out of his hand only to throw the bun away and proceed to do a variety of inappropriate things to the frank with her mouth. Owen's jaw dropped at this rather raunchy display. Not that he didn't already know what Abby was capable of sexually, considering he was her lover, but for her to do something like this in public?

She then tilted her head upward as she made the hotdog bob in and out of her mouth up in the air just using her mouth muscles. The mustard bottle in Owen's hand suddenly squirted uncontrollably as his grip on it tightened. She then took the hot dog out of her mouth and grabbed Owen's hand.

"Wanna go make out?" She said.

"Okaaaaay." Owen responded in an aroused stupor as she pulled him along.

At that moment back at their seats Abby sniffed the air. Owen emitted a certain kind of scent when he was sexually aroused, and it was setting her own senses off like a fire alarm.

"Cassie, take me to Owen please."

"As you wish."

"What's going on?" Dean asked.

"Nothing."

"You sure, everything okay?" Sam added.

"I'll let you know when we get back."

"You sure? You want us to come with?" Dean asked.

"No, it's okay, we'll be right back." She told him.

Abby and Castiel then left the stands heading out of sight until the angel could teleport them unseen. It was the quickest way to reach Owen without flying herself, but she doubted that would go over well with the locals.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Carolyn and Owen had ended up in the women's restroom of all places within one of the stalls as she slipped her tongue into his mouth. Her right arm wrapped around the back of his neck while her left hand got a hand full of his crotch as he gasped. But something didn't seem right to Owen. He was fighting through his hormones to try and focus. Now that he was this close to her he could definitely tell that something wasn't right. Finally he managed to clear his head just enough to take in one good solid whiff of her scent through the access amounts of perfume she was wearing.

"_She isn't Abby!"_

With that Owen quickly shoved her away and out of the stall much to the horror of the other women in the restroom with them as they took off screaming.

"Who are you!" He demanded.

"What? Well, I'm Abby of-"

"No you're not! I may be still learning how to fine tune my senses but I know enough to know you ain't her. Now who are you?"

"I'd like to know that myself." A voice said from behind her.

Carolyn spun around to see the real Abby standing there. It was like looking into a mirror as both girls froze in shock for a moment.

"A werewolf, been a while since I ran into one of your kind." Abby confessed as Carolyn was taken somewhat aback, her own senses picking up the same thing from Abby that she had from Owen, only far stronger.

"What the heck?" Owen said.

"Intriguing." Castiel observed in the background.

"Time to talk. Just who are you and why are you trying to put moves on my boyfriend?"

"None of your business."

"Pretty feisty for a virgin." Abby smiled.

"How in the Hell did you-" Carolyn started to say before stopping herself, "You don't scare me." She went on defiantly.

"Really?" Abby said as she casually thrust her left fist out smashing it through the tile wall and underlying concrete of the bathroom wall with little to no effort, leaving a rather sizable hole in the process.

Carolyn's eyes boggled, even in her werewolf form she didn't have that kind of strength, let alone right now.

"Diplomacy is good." She muttered as her voice cracked.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A short time later, why Abby and Carolyn looked identical had been sussed out. Turned out they were distant cousins separated by several generations. Both of their families arrived in the American colonies around the same time.

"I was turned into a vampire by my great, great, uncle." Abby told her as they walked along together behind the stands.

"I was bitten by a werewolf sent by a witch that my great, great, great (etc) uncle slept with and then dumped."

"Sucks"

"Totally."

"How'd your family react?"

"They couldn't tell the difference in my moods, to be honest." Carolyn explained as she cast her gaze back at Owen.

"He's cute."

"He's mine."

"Uh, yeah, you've already made that abundantly clear. No hard feelings?"

"Gee, I don't know."

"Oh, c'mon, can you blame me? He's adorable."

"That we can agree on." Abby said as they both stared at a blushing Owen.

"So…no smash?" Carolyn asked.

"We're good."

"Great, how about a three way?" Carolyn suggested with a wicked grin.

"Pass." Abby smiled.

"What's wrong with sharing?"

"I don't share Owen."

"Oh c'mon, you can tell he's thinking about it."

"What? N-no I'm not!" Owen protested unconvincingly.

"Actually you're right, right now he's fantasizing about the two of us taking turns going down on him." Abby said nonchalantly.

"Abby!"

"What? It's true. You keep forgetting that we're psychically linked. There are times when I know what you're thinking even before you do." Abby smiled.

Owen's face turned even redder than it did before as he hid his face in his hands. The girls couldn't help but to start snickering uncontrollably.

Just then Barnabas walked up to them, having used his own vampire senses to pinpoint Carolyn.

"Ah there you are Carolyn, Elizabeth was wondering where you had wandered off to. And what have we here?", The vampire inquired looking over at Abby and Owen, "Making new friends are we? You must introduce me at once."

Carolyn offered introductions as Barnabas bowed respectfully, courteous as ever in his own old fashioned eighteenth century style. She then explained the family heritage that they shared.

"So you set sail from here over two hundred years ago, intriguing. And you and your companion were once vampires but have now been transformed into…"

"Honestly we're still not sure what we are yet ourselves." Abby began to say, "We just know that we seem to have all of our former strengths as vampires, only stronger and none of the weaknesses."

"Most interesting. Well, I will have you know that you shall be treated as kin and I cordially invite you to Collinwood this very evening if it so fancies you."

After the game they did exactly that, with the exception of Castiel, who had departed to deal with some important matters back in Heaven. Owen and Abby were amazed at the size and grandeur of Collinwood…even though it was still in the midst of being rebuilt.

"Welcome to Collinwood. Please imagine us on a better day, that is not far off, actually." Barnabas told his guests as Abby, Owen, Sam and Dean entered across the threshold.

But the moment that they entered Sam and Dean's EMFs started to go off as they pulled them out of their pockets.

"What in God's name is that?" Barnabas asked with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

"Oh, these are our EMFs," Sam began to say, "The EMF meter is used to detect whether there has been a supernatural presence in an area. It is a gauge to indicate the intensity of the reading and makes a distinctive sound. It measures the derivative or rate of change of the surrounding magnetic field; thus, these meters are sensitive to changing magnetic fields. Most EMF meters are most sensitive to frequencies of about 30-10,000 hertz, while some have a wider…" Sam suddenly stopped in mid-sentence as the expression on Barnabas' face told him he had no idea what he was talking about, "It says there's a ghost here." He quickly wrapped up awkwardly.

"Ah yes, I was informed on the way over here that the two of you are hunters of supernatural things. The ghost your contraption is sensing is more than likely David's mother."

"Really? Is…that a problem?" Dean asked.

"Oh heavens no, she isn't a malevolent spirit. She even helped us to destroy the accursed Angelique."

"That's right, Abby said that Carolyn told her that you were transformed into a vampire via magical means." Sam suddenly recalled.

"Indeed, by that contemptible witch, but rest assured Lucifer's whore has been dealt with."

But just then Sam looked over to see that his brother looked rather unnerved.

"Dean, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? We're in a creepy old house full of things that would normally have me grabbing for salt, a gun or a handy machete."

"Dean, relax. These aren't the first benevolent monsters that we've ever met. Abby and Owen used to be vampires after all. And then there was that pack of vampires we met that only fed on animal blood. Just try to take it easy okay. Or find something to take your mind off of things perhaps?" Sam said as Elizabeth walked by flashing Dean a seductive smile as she looked over her shoulder at him.

"I think I just did." Dean responded with a smile of his own.

In another room…

"It's amazing how a new house being rebuilt can look and feel so old. My mother and Barnabas made sure the house was rebuilt just as it was before." Carolyn said standing next to Abby and Owen.

"Truthfully, and I mean this with nothing but respect, this feels like a house a vampire would live in." Abby observed.

"Yeah, this is sooo cool." Owen hooted looking all around.

"Cool, heh. There was a time when I used different words to describe this place and those who live here. This place isn't exactly what you would call normal, course then again I don't live a normal life for that matter."

"You've seemed to make the most of it though." Abby surmised.

"Yeah, ironically things feels more normal now than before. Now I realize that I'm not a freak or a monster who has to hide away from everyone. I'm a Collins…and this is just how our lives are. But I still have moments where my 'condition' bothers me or more to the point badly inconveniences me. For example, there was a concert by a group I just love that was in nearby Portland and was playing for one night only. My mother even said I could go if I wanted provided Victoria chaperoned me. Trouble was…the night in question was the night of a full moon. So, instead of waiting for the band to come on stage, I found myself naked out on the grounds as the moon rose, waiting to turn into a giant, bipedal wolf."

"Have you ever attacked anyone?" Abby asked.

"Aside from the witch bitch that I have to thank for my occasionally furry lifestyle, no. So far I've been able to remain in control. But if that were to ever change, Barnabas is seeing to the construction of a special room built into the cellar. It's a stone dungeon with a steel door that will be able to hold me secure on nights of the full moon. But for now, I'm glad I can control it, I feel strangely alive when the change takes place and I can roam the woods."

"Do any of your friends know about it?" Owen asked.

"What friends?" Carolyn began with a sneer, "Even if my family didn't have more secrets than the CIA, that required outsiders not getting too close, we're not exactly a popular family in town. The townsfolk tolerate us because our cannery is now the town's largest employer and the locals appreciate us doing things like sponsoring the ballgame today. But, it doesn't mean that anybody is anxious to be friends with us. And in high school, it's even worse. I eat my lunch alone. I study alone. My abilities allow me to be on the track team…but my teammates seem to keep me at a distance. I don't mind so much now. I accept that this is just the price I has to pay. Truthfully, I'm proud of my family now. I'm proud of my mother who I can honestly say now for the first time I see as a role model. I plan to study business at college and eventually take over the Collins family businesses like my mother did and I'm proud of who I am. But sometimes I just wish I could have…someone."

"I know how that feels." Owen replied.

"As do I" Abby added as Barnabas walked up to them.

"If you will pardon me being so forward, are the two of you a couple?" The vampire asked.

"Indeed we are." Abby said as she and Owen then embraced and nuzzled one another.

"Splendid. And here I thought the practices of my time had long since passed on. You see Carolyn, what did I tell you?" Barnabas reminded her.

"Well I'd be more than happy to make use of my birthing hips and other parts of my body if I could find me a man who doesn't freak out the first time they see me on a full moon." She grumbled.

"Have you tried dating another werewolf?" Owen asked.

"I've met a couple in my time, but they seemed more monster than man. They reveled in what they were, I don't."

"I understand that all too well." Abby comforted her as she turned back to Barnabas, "So, your niece tells me that you were transformed into a vampire by a witch?"

"Yes, a most unfortunate circumstance, but we have all made the best of our own uniquely uncouth situations."

"So I've heard. I just have one question though."

"And what pray tell is that?"

"Do you still feed on innocent people?"

Barnabas grew quiet after that. He already knew the answer, but it was one he was far from proud of. And thusly his lack of response gave Abby the answer she needed.

"Give me just one moment. Cassie?" Abby said as he reappeared once again.

"What in the name of Heaven?" Barnabas blurted out with understandable surprise.

"It's okay, he's a friend of mine." Abby told them.

"Who is he?" Carolyn asked.

"He's an angel of God, he actually brought us here from the year 2011. Cassie can you take me back to our time real quick so I can get something?"

"Of course." The angel said as he and Abby vanished from sight for a moment.

When they returned, Abby had a series of papers in her hands that she then handed to Barnabas.

"What is this?"

"A list of all the major blood banks in the United States. But keep in mind that me and Owen made this list in 1983, so some these don't exist yet. With your money and connections, I figure that you could probably arrange a regular delivery or something."

Barnabas was momentarily stunned by the magnitude of Abby's gift. It took him a few moments to gather himself.

"Abigail Mccready, you have done me a great service this day. I shall not forget it."

"Don't mention it."

"So you have a time traveling angel for a friend?" Carolyn spoke.

"Yep, Cassie's the best." Abby fawned over him as she gave him a quick hug.

"Carolyn?" Abby addressed her.

"Yeah?"

"I was lucky that Owen never let the vampire thing get in the way of what he felt for me. With that in mind I'm sure that there are guys out there who wouldn't mind you being a werewolf."

"That's easy for you to say. Being a former female vampire turned super chick is cool and sexy. Being a female werewolf, involves funny smells, mood swings and at times excessive body hair. Stuff that generally doesn't push guys buttons if you know what I mean. My most steady relationship has been with my right hand." Carolyn crowed with obvious frustration as all the men present exchanged embarrassed glances at her very personal disclosure. Abby chuckled at her frank honestly before speaking again.

"There was a time when I felt that I would never find love or any semblance of happiness ever again. I was proven wrong thankfully. Life is full of surprises, so please don't give up. Sooner or later you'll meet someone who can make you forget all the bad stuff you have had to deal with. You shouldn't worry about being accepted. The right person won't care about your…condition…or your family."

"Thanks." Carolyn said genuinely with a smile full of gratitude.

A short time later.

"Hey is that Alice Cooper?" Dean asked spotting some framed photos on the mantle piece.

"Yes, those were taken at the happening that the Collins family threw last year, luckily the film had been sent off for developing when the house burnt down." Victoria told him.

"Wicked." Dean grinned, being the fan of classic 70s and 80s rock that he was.

"I still say it was the ugliest woman in the world." Barnabas proclaimed.

Dean started to say something but Victoria quickly motioned for him not to. For they had given up on trying to enlighten him about that.

They had dinner with Collins family that night and eventually turned in for the evening. But as Abby and Owen settled in to their room Abby could swear that she was hearing something through the wall from the room next to theirs, which happened to be Carolyn's.

"What's that?" Abby asked.

"What's what?"

"Sounds like…a kitten?"

"Yeah, you're right. I hear it now too. Huh, I didn't know they had a kitten."

But meanwhile in Elizabeth's room some different kind of sounds were about to be made.

"I've been under a lot of stress the last eight months or so and I need a release. My daughter may be a werewolf…but boy, I'm a cougar!" She gloated as her and Dean proceeded to rape one another.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning Dean had a smile on his face a mile wide as the group prepared to leave.

Before leaving, they gave tips to Barnabas about future investments to make. Microsoft, Apple(making make sure to explain it's not a fruit company) and something called Google.

"It was a pleasure to have you all here. Please know that you are welcome back at any time." Barnabas informed them.

"Yeah, don't be strangers." Carolyn said as she gave Abby and Owen each a hug, stopping for a moment to grab Owen's butt before letting him go as his eyes got big again.

"Thanks." Sam told them with a smile and a wave.

"Farewell to you all." Victoria called out.

But shortly after they had left, Carolyn started to sniff something around Elizabeth. She sniffed harder. Then, her eyes went saucer wide.

"MOM? You and DEAN!"

Elizabeth was totally nonchalant about it –even proud of it.

"Some days I need more than badminton and macramé to relax dear."

"Ew" Carolyn shuddered, this was one occasion where she wasn't happy to have enhanced senses.

Carolyn was wigged out both due to the thought of her mother using her boy toy all night, as well as feeling bad that she couldn't get anyone like that.

"Even my mother is getting more action than me." She sighed, "How pathetic is that?" She complained shaking her head as Elizabeth cracked a grin and walked off.

Back in the present.

"So…you seemed to be enjoying yourself before I showed up." Abby teased Owen as they entered their home.

"What? N-no, it wasn't like that I swear!"

"Owen, I could see the outline of your erection through your pants and smell the precum."

"Awwww, Abby. I couldn't help it, I thought she was you at first. But you saw that I realized she wasn't you right? Right?" Owen stammered in a near panic as Abby burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"You silly." She said as she stopped and then turned pulling him to her in a kiss, "I just have one question."

"Wh-what?"

"Did you save me any?" She cooed in a husky voice as Owen's hormones went into overdrive once again.

"Now…wanna see what kind of tricks I can do with YOUR hotdog?" Abby whispered seductively.


	10. Reunion

Story takes place in between chapter 16(The Gauntlet) and chapter 17(It's Just The End Of The World) of Child Of Fate.

Gonna warn you folks that the dialogue between Abby and Marie gets pretty explicit.

Also, got some Buffy/Angel references and characters in this. Some subtle, some not so much.

I also wanna give a shout out to TorontoBatfan, who helped a great deal with this chapter. :)

X

REUNION

X

X

Cleveland Ohio

Abby and Owen found themselves standing outside a secret and rather seedy looking bar called 'The Blood Bank', and they had come here for a very specific purpose.

As they stepped inside they were immediately greeted by the owner of the establishment, a man named Willy. But once long ago in the town of Sunnydale California, he went by an additional moniker, 'Willy the snitch'. He had ran a bar that catered to vampires, demons, and assorted monsters, that is before it was swallowed up by the same massive sinkhole that eventually consumed the entire town of Sunnydale. Luckily for Willy, he had been out of town at the time and he also had insurance against supernatural acts of destruction via a special insurance package with the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart.

Thusly he has used the money to set up this new bar near the only other hell mouth in the United States, where his target clientele would proliferate the most.

"Welcome to the Blood Bank, how can I…wait a minute you two look a bit young to be in here." He said looking them over.

"Relax, I'm over two hundred years old." Abby assured him.

"Vampires?"

"At one time yes."

"Ah, you're here for 'The House Of Dracula' reunion aren't ya? Just head strait back that way to the private party room." Willy said pointing the way for them.

"Thanks." Owen said as they proceeded onward.

But as soon as they entered a random vampire ran up to them dressed in a black suit and cape and flung his arms wide.

"Um, can we help you?" Abby asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"I am Vincent! The vegetable vampire! Do you have any carrots?"

"Um, no."

"Damn!" He cursed before bringing his cape back up to his face and running off.

"What the Hell just happened?" Abby asked as she and Owen exchanged confused expressions.

"I don't know, but you know something he kinda looked like Morgan Freeman." Owen observed.

"Hey you're right, he kinda does." Abby agreed.

But as they started to walk further inside they suddenly realized that all activity in the room had stopped and that all eyes were on them. Word had gotten around in the inhuman community about Abby and Owen's recent exploits, including their heavenly affiliations and recent transformation…and the vampires present were none too happy about it.

"Um, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all." Abby muttered.

Just then though she spotted someone familiar.

"Marie?"

"Abby! Come here girlfriend!" Marie yelled as she and Abby rushed up to one another and embraced.

"It's so good to see you again! I was wondering if you were going to show." Marie confessed.

"Yeah, I think everyone else in this room is wishing that I hadn't." Abby admitted with some concern.

"Oh don't mind them," Marie started to say as she turned to face all the other vampires in the room, "Because this room full of infants isn't nearly stupid enough to ask me to rip their spines out of their backs and choke them with them by pissing me off!" She finished in a deep demonic voice with blazing yellow eyes.

The vampires present went pale, even more so than they already were if that were possible. Their demeanor changed very quickly and they nervously returned to their previous matters. Marie had developed quite a reputation for herself in the two hundred years since Abby had last seen her, even other vampires didn't like to mess with her.

"So…you don't care that I'm not technically a vampire anymore?" Abby asked.

"Of course not silly. Abby, you never asked for anything that ever happened to you. The way I see it, you're entitled to whatever happiness you can get however you can get it. It's obvious that you're still the same wonderful girl that you always were."

"Thank you." Abby said sincerely.

It was then that a rather handsome looking individual stepped up next to Marie.

"And who is this?" Abby asked checking him out.

"This wonderful man, is Joe, the love of my life." Marie boasted proudly.

"I can see why, he's cute." Abby complimented.

"Why thank you." Joe replied.

"Hey!" Owen whined with a pouty face.

"Oh Owen, it's just harmless flirting." Abby reassured him.

"Oh really, like with me and Carolyn?" He reminded her with a grin.

"That was different." She responded.

"Oh yeah, of course it was. Never mind the fact that she practically tried to molest me."

"I don't recall you complaining at the time." Abby countered.

"That's because I thought it was you!"

"Hey Owen, take it from me little man," Joe started to say, "When it comes to the ladies, they are always right and you are always wrong, may as well start getting used to it now." He finished as Marie gave Joe a playful jab to the arm as they both giggled.

"And is this wonderful looking young man your consort, if you don't mind me asking?" Marie said.

"Indeed he is." Abby swooned looking back at him.

"He's cute too" Marie said as Owen blushed.

"Did we make it that obvious?" Abby asked with a smirk.

"Yes, but even if you hadn't, I can smell the two of you all over each other. I'm so happy for you my dear, after the things that Garth did to you so long ago I couldn't help but wonder if you would ever be able to feel this way about anyone."

"No one but my precious Owen." Abby declared.

"And that my dear is all that matters."

"So, what are you doing now?" Abby asked.

"Me and Joe have our own detective agency actually. Generally we eat the really nasty criminals we catch rather than turning them in to the local authorities. And you?"

"Me and Owen have a nice house out in South Dakota, we don't actually have to work for a living, I cashed in some rather valuable treasures."

"Lucky you, that's wonderful."

"So who all is here?" Abby asked.

"Mostly, a lot of vampires that you probably wouldn't know."

"How about the original firstborns from way back when?"

"I'm afraid me and Lemora are the only ones left from that group. Tesla, Kishida, Yorga and all the rest were destroyed ages ago."

"What about Lemora?"

"She hasn't arrived yet but she should be here any minute."

"I see. Where's Dracula?"

"Over there, but I'm going to warn you, he's in a mood." Marie told her as Abby and Owen walked over to where he was sitting at the bar.

There sat what was once one of the most feared vampires on the planet. Looking somewhat disheveled and not entirely sober as he sat holding a cocktail that was a combination of Czechoslovakian Absinthe and type O negative blood. Owen meanwhile was star struck.

"Are you gonna ask him if I can have his autograph?" Owen pestered her.

"I don't think this is a good time Owen." She whispered., "Dracula?" Abby asked carefully as he slowly turned from the drink he was holding in his hands.

"Abigail Macready, spawn of Garth, I remember you. Did I not banish you from my sight well over two centuries ago?"

"Well, actually you banished me from Castle Dracula."

"A technicality." He growled taking another drink.

"Would it make you feel any better if I told you I killed Garth?"

"Really? Wonderful, I don't hate you quite so much now."

"Um, thanks, I think." Abby said awkwardly, "So how have you been?" Abby asked.

She had no idea the can of worms that she had just opened.

"Dreadful," Dracula began to say, "I had to turn Castle Dracula into a tourist site to keep the taxes down and to keep its landmark designation. And I also can't feed on people, like I used to, any longer, the authorities tend to notice such things nowadays. The advent of more advanced crime solving technology has made things problematic for our kind. Some of my offspring now leave their victims alive after feeding and then glamour them so that they have no memory of the encounter. Others have even lowered themselves to using blood banks. Disgraceful! Peasants use to not even look at my castle. Now, I have to hire a thirteen year kid old from the village to do the castle website…British backpackers think it's fun to have relations in my courtyard…and I have to pose for photographs with overweight American tourists who wear Hawaiian shirts and cowboy hats! And on top of all this, a descendant of Lawrence Van Helsing actually booked the Castle for their wedding reception recently!"

"Wow, that's…a bummer." Abby said trying very hard not to laugh.

Just then one of Willie's waitresses came out from the bar, carrying a tray of beer and nachos. Dracula saw it and grumbled more about obese Americans.

"You people have horrible diets! I wouldn't want to drink your blood anyways, the cholesterol in it would give me a heart attack!" He yelled out.

After a brief pause and another drink he continued.

"Our kind used to command fear and respect. Mortals lived in terror of us. Now we have been reduced to mere mockeries by pop culture." Dracula spat contemptuously.

"Heh, tell me about it," Another vampire began to say, " I had a teenage girl ask me the other day what I was supposed to be. I felt like being honest for once and told her that I was a vampire. She responded by kicking me in the shin and shouting, you're not Edward!"

But just then Willy walked over to them.

"Hey Drac, one of your brides is on the phone."

"Tell them I'm not here." He grumbled.

Willy did as asked but a few seconds later the smart phones of the other vampires present who knew Dracula lit up like Christmas trees including Abby's. His brides had sent a video.

"What is it?" Owen asked as Abby opened it.

A vid of Dracula taking a bath in a large casket shaped bathtub suddenly appeared on the screen as the other vampires started to snicker. Dracula just hung his head, if Van Helsing had been standing in front of him at that moment he would've paid him to shove a stake into his heart. In the old days, if one of his brides chose to be disrespectful he would just give them a good thrashing or better yet behead them and just get another. But his modern day brides unfortunately were privy to the modern concepts of equality and women's rights and were not intimidated by him in the least.

Abby meanwhile couldn't believe what she was seeing. The last time that she saw Dracula he chilled her to her very bones. He was strong, imposing, powerful, indomitable. To see him reduced to…this? It left her speechless.

"Hey, where did Vincent go?"

"He keeps annoying Blackula, who in turn keeps punching him in the face."

"Drac, c'mon man, please tell me that Vinnie ain't one of yours." One of his youngest newborns asked.

"There's a perfectly good explanation for that. I lay it all at the feet of William the bloody."

"How so?" Owen asked.

"He talked me into attending Woodstock with him. Tell me Abigail, did you ever feed on any flower people?"

"No."

"Consider yourself fortunate. That fiasco resulted in me loosing at least six hours of my life that to this day still remain unaccounted for. Vincent was the result of that…and Lucifer only knows what else."

"Has anyone seen Reggie yet?" A random vampire asked.

"Good God I hope not!" Another bellowed.

"Who's Reggie?" Abby asked.

"A vampire who thinks we should reveal ourselves to the outside world. He's a pop culture nut/fair-weather sailor who grabs onto whatever the latest fads are." A third vampire explained.

"What's so bad about that?" Owen asked.

"Heeeey guuuuuuuys!" A vampire standing in the doorway wearing G.A.P. clothes, excessive amounts of hair gel and covered in glitter shouted.

"Hey, it's Reggie…GET HIM!" A fourth vampire yelled as about six different vampires dog piled him and proceeded to beat him senseless.

"Um, aren't you going to do something? I think they're going to kill him." Owen said.

"Kill who? I don't see anything." Dracula said nonchalantly not even looking back as he took another long swig of his O positive.

"Abby?" A voice suddenly said from behind her as she turned to see Lemora at long last.

"Lemora!" Abby squealed as they gave each other a big hug.

"How have you been my child? You seem older looking than I remember."

"Long story."

"Well I'd love to hear it and oh wait, who is this?" Lemora said looking at Owen.

"This is Owen."

"Is he your mate, your knight in shinning armor?"

"In so many ways, and more." Abby proclaimed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Owen said taking her hand in his and kissing it.

"Such a gentleman, I am honored. But tell me Abby, I hear that you killed Garth. Is that true?"

"Yep."

"Did he scream?"

"He did when I ripped his genitals off."

"Tell me more!"

"Hey I wanna hear this story too!" Marie said running up to them.

As Lemora pulled Abby away Joe came up to Owen.

"How about me and you play a friendly game of darts while your girlfriend gets reacquainted with her old school alumni, huh?"

"I'm game." Owen said as he and Joe exited the party room and headed towards a nearby unoccupied dart board.

But as they walked across the room a sight met Owen's eyes that he could hardly believe. A short purple vampire puppet in a black suit and tie…The Count from Sesame Street. He strolled over to a table and took a seat as Willy sauntered over to him.

"Hey Count, you want your usual?"

"Yes, and you better make damn sure you get it right this time motherfucker or I'll pull your goddamn spine out through your fucking mouth you retarded shit eating bastard!"

In an instant Owen was scarred for life and his childhood as he knew it destroyed as his jaw dropped practically to the floor. In short order Willy brought the drink that the Count wanted to him as he downed it in one gulp.

"Oh bloody Mary full of O positive, damned be they name, for I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God who can't wait to shove his divine foot up my ass. Here's blood in your eye fucktards!" The Count proclaimed almost whimsically as Vincent suddenly appeared, "Oh Hell no! You stay the fuck away from me you son of a bitch! I told you I don't want to be seen in public with you! And stop leaving messages on my goddamn answering machine! You managed to kill it's memory in one fuckin day and blew my chance at a three way with two European underwear models! I wish I'd never gotten you that job on the Electric Company!"

Joe could see the rather perplexed look on Owen's face and decided to enlighten him.

"Yeah I know, I reacted the exact same way when I first met him in person too." Joe said.

"He-he's a real vampire? Who talks like an angry sailor with tourettes?"

"Yep. Ya see the count was actually a puppet demon first who was later attacked and turned by a vampire."

"Demon puppets?"

"Yep, Marie told me all about them. They hop in and out of Hell dimensions usually and never stay in one place for too long. They only come up to Earth to siphon souls from innocent children that carry major street value in Hell and on the demonic black market."

"Oh my God that's terrible!"

"Tell me about it. Every time Marie runs into a pack of them she rips the stuffing out of em and shoves it back up their asses sideways."

"So the Count is a real vampire/soul sucking demon that feeds on children?"

"Ah, no actually. He hadn't even managed to get into the business yet when he was attacked and turned into a vampire. When that happened he was cast out by his own kind and was exiled to Earth. Not too long afterward he got work with PBS and ended up on Sesame Street, the rest is history."

"Oh…my…God. So what about the other puppets?"

"Well, most of the monsters on Sesame Street are real monsters Marie tells me and that Jim Henson was actually the puppet."

"Holy crap! What about The Muppet Show?"

"About half and half. Most of them keep it on the down low accept for Animal, but that's because he's hopped up on PCP twenty-four seven."

"Whoa."

Sometime later…

"Are you kidding me? That actually works?" Abby asked Marie.

"Oh yes, if you squeeze that part of his body just right he'll cum all over the place, I guarantee it. And if you follow it up by licking his perineum, that's the spot in between his scrotum and his anus and then squeeze that same spot again simultaneously while sticking your thumb in his rectum, he'll immediately experience a dry orgasm that will make his eyes roll back in his head. Now afterward you'll need to-"

"Wait , wait, wait! I gotta bring up the notepad on my phone and write all this down!" Abby said excitedly, Owen won't see any of this coming. She grinned.

"But I can assure you that you'll see him cumming." Marie said mischievously.

"While your at it Abby maybe you can help me figure out mine, apparently my smart phone is smarter than me. And I'm also still trying to figure out why the little red bird on it is so angry." Lemora asked with honest confusion.

In the meantime Owen's game of darts with Joe had been interrupted by an encounter with a vampire nerd that Owen was currently in a heated debate with.

"No way in Hell!" Owen shouted defensively.

"Oh really?"

"Yes really! Thor would mop the floor with Hercules!"

"Wait are we talking Steve Reeves, Lou Ferrigno or Kevin Sorbo?"

"Doesn't matter! He'd stomp all three of them at once."

"You are sooooo full of crap."

"Listen buddy, it just so happens that I actually know the real Thor, and I'm telling ya he would kick their butts!"

"Alright then, Hulk vs. Superman!"

"Oh it is sooooo on!"

Just then Willy could be heard yelling from the main bar.

"Goddamn it Vincent stay out of my tomatoes! Those are for the Bloody Marys!"

A short time after that Marie had challenged other female vampires present to a naughty game of can you top this as they kept seeing who could deep throat what the farthest. Marie was currently tied with another female patron after they had both taken nine inch cucumbers down without so much as flinching.

"That's just wrong on so many levels." Willy said as he turned around for a moment only to see that the rest of the cucumbers had disappeared.

He looked up just in time to see Vincent going out the back door with them.

"Son of a bitch!" Willy cursed as he took off after him.

Meanwhile a tray with two twelve inch kielbasas was laid out in front of Marie and her would be challenger.

"Oh crap." Abby muttered.

"Is that fear I smell?" Marie joked as she snatched up the meat and made it disappear in a split second.

"Whoa! Okay, I surrender." The other vampire finally relented with a laugh as she started to bow up and down in a comical fashion as the rest of the male vampire patrons began hooting and cheering.

"You got mad skills, porn stars probably hate you." Abby assumed.

"I never got any complaints from Ron Jeremy."

"What? You did porn?" Abby spoke with shock.

"I did briefly, a few years before I met Joe. I gave John Holmes the best blowjob he ever had in his life. I ended up playing a sexual den mother to allot of the up and coming stars at the time."

"Thanks for all the saucy sex tutoring by the way. I'm gonna make good use of it." Abby told her.

"Of that I have no doubt, and you are more than welcome sweetie, but I ain't done yet. I'm gonna have a little talk with Owen before you leave."

"Really? Him too. What are you going to tell him?"

"Things that will blow your mind. Tell me Abby, have you ever had a squirting or better yet gushing orgasm before?"

"Um, no."

"You will after I'm done talking to Owen. You'll be drinking tons of water afterward just to re-hydrate yourself." Marie said devilishly.

"Oh, you have got to tell me!"

"Oh no, no, no, that would spoil the surprise." Marie teased as Abby got all flustered.

At that very moment outside, an angry nine foot demon stormed into Willy's establishment, his massive size destroying the doorway in the process. Willy, who had just reentered the bar after failing to catch Vincent, immediately recognized him.

"Ah damn it Rawhead not again! I just got this place fixed up after the last time you were here!"

Rawhead's response was to backhand Willy aside as he stormed towards the party room. Every other creature present in the bar got the Hell out of dodge in a hurry as the towering demon came smashing through the wall into the back room roaring and shrieking. Upon his rather loud and destructive arrival the vampires present quickly turned around.

"What the Hell is that?" Owen asked.

"Oh damn it's Rawhead!" One of the other vampires panicked.

"Who's he?"

"Rawhead Rex! Nine foot Irish demon, nasty, ill tempered. Has the brain the size of a jujube but makes up for it in brute strength. Hates vampires too."

"Why?"

"Don't know, the last vamp who tried to ask him had their head pulled off their shoulders."

"Can we take him if we all gang up on him?" Owen asked.

"Dude? Seriously? This guy has the international demon dead lift record at eighty tons, he'd tear us all to shreds! How's about we not confuse bravery with stupidity and choose life, kay?"

"Or we get someone bigger and badder to kick his ass." Abby interjected.

"Oh really? And just who pray tell is bigger and badder than Rawhead?"

Abby then smiled before bringing her fingers up to her lips and giving out a loud whistle.

It was then that Godzilla came crashing through the opposite wall of the bar. Rawhead turned just in time to be tackled as they both went smashing through the wall at the other end of the room and clear outside.

"Unholy crap!" The vampire said in disbelief.

"Hey, I didn't know you brought Godzilla along?" Owen said with surprise.

"I asked him to follow us actually. I didn't know what to expect going to a demon bar. Knew there was a chance we might run into trouble that might be too much for even us to handle." She told him.

"Holy crap, how'd he manage that without being seen? I mean I know he's got the whole Hulk jump thing goin on but still."

"It was just a matter of avoiding major cities. It's allot easier now that he's at this size after all."

"No, no, no, no, no! Look what they did to my bar!" Willy complained as he hung his head despondently.

Meanwhile Dracula just continued drinking at the bar either completely oblivious to what was going on behind him or just not caring.

Godzilla walked back in a few moments later with Rawhead's head in his right hand.

"It seems that you've made some interesting friends since last we spoke." Lemora observed.

"You don't know the half of it." Abby told her.

"Damn!", a yellow skinned demon exclaimed walking up to Abby and Owen. It was a Kulak demon, it was a humanoid dinosaurian creature that had stegosaur like plates on top of its head and going down the back of its neck, "You guys didn't say you knew Godzilla!"

"Yeah, we're tight." Abby grinned as she put out a clinched right fist as Godzilla bumped his against hers.

"Wow, you seem allot shorter in person. But anyway, my kid is a huge fan! Could I get your autograph? Maybe even get a picture with you? My boy would love it!" The demon gushed.

Godzilla stared at the demon blankly and then back at Abby, who just laughed in response.

Several hours later…

"A toast! To the house of Dracula!" One of the vampires professed as everyone in the room that was still sober enough to raised their drinks high.

"It's not fair!" Dracula suddenly cried out, "I used to rule my own country! I was worshipped as a god! I was the vampire that other vampires feared! Now all of it is gone! Everything! Including my pride and dignity! And now I have been reduced to…this." He trailed off finally as he began to sob, banging his head up and down repeatedly on the bar as he did so.

What had been at first a joyous moment had been affectively turned awkward and sour, as all the vampires present that were holding up various bottles, glasses and cans froze in place, unsure of how to react or what to do next.

"Oh wow this is not looking good." Abby mumbled.

"I'll handle this." Lemora said walking past everyone and up to where Dracula was sitting as he continued to cry.

"Master?" She said as she stepped up next to him.

"This is normally the part where I would tell you to be silent and remember your place. But wait, I can't do that anymore, it's not politically correct! You could sue me for gender discrimination after all!" Dracula complained as he hit his head on the bar once again.

"Oh, come come now master, you know full well that I would never do such a thing to you. I cherish the old ways as much as you do."

"The old ways are dead Lemora, and we may as well be dead with them."

"Ohhhh, it's not that bad. I know what you need. I hear that there's a special screening of the new Twilght movie tonight in this very town. Just imagine, an entire theater full of Twilight fans, would you like to go eat some of them?"

Several moments of tense silence followed as everyone waited for his reaction. Then he slowly lifted his head up from the bar.

"….yes." Dracula replied as he rubbed the tears from his eyes.

"Then that's what we'll do." Lemora said with a comforting smile as she patted her master on the back.

"Hey, did she say we were going to go eat some Twitards?" One of the other vampires asked.

"Yep she sure did!" Another spoke.

"Oh Hell yeah lets party!" A third chimed in as all the vampires in the room proceeded to leave.

But Marie caught Lemora for a moment away from Dracula.

"Lemora, make sure they know that that they can't actually kill any of them." Marie told her.

"Really, are you serious?"

"Fraid so. Though I will admit that bad taste is a crime that I sometimes wish were punishable by death, they aren't technically bad people."

"Tell that to the master."

"While I do sympathize, we don't need to draw uneeded attention to ourselves for obvious reasons." Joe cut in.

"Uneeded attention? We just had two eight foot monsters knock down two walls of this building. How is it still standing by the way?"

"Oh, that's structural integrity augmentation magic, it was part of the Wolfram & Hart insurance package I bought." Willy interceded for a brief moment.

"And besides that, The Blood Bank is different, it has cloaking spells and is in a part of town that gets few human visitors after dark. the theater you're getting ready to head to however is in the heart of downtown." Joe explained.

"Okay, okay, no kill. How about maim?"

"Maim? How bad are we talking, some minor blood loss or some major limb loss?" Marie asked.

"Does it really matter?"

"Uhhh, I don't know."

"Can't you settle for just making them piss and shit their pants?" Joe interrupted again.

"On they'll do that anyway, it's usually a precusor to everything else.

"Okay, okay. Here's the deal, no fatal injuries and you have to glamour them after your done." Marie told her.

"Can we burn down the theater afterward?"

"No."

"Can we burn the Twilight memorabilia that you just know they will have in the lobby?"

"Oh Hell yes." Marie approved.

"Excellent." Lemora smiled as she turned to head back to where Dracula was sitting.

Just then Abby and Owen walked up.

"What about you two, are you going to join in the fun?" Joe asked them.

"I think we'll pass this time around, maybe next time." Abby laughed.

"You've got my cell phone number right?" Marie asked Abby.

"Yep."

"Good, we're going to be keeping in touch this time, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." Abby smiled back.

"You two take care of yourselves okay?"

"You do the same." Abby said back as her and Marie gave each other a big hug goodbye, after which they departed.

"You good big G?" Abby asked, to which Godzilla merely nodded as they exited the bar.

"Thanks for coming to the rescue." Owen added as Godzilla leaped high into the air clearing several city blocks before landing in an alley far off in the distance. Concealed by the dark of night he primed his leg muscles as he took another leap that cleared a mile.

"Well, that went allot better than I thought it would." Owen conceded.

"Yeah it did, I wouldn't mind doing this again in a hundred years or so." Abby stated, "I just have one question."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Did Marie get a chance to talk to you?"

"Ohhhh, maybe?" Owen said with a mischievous leer.

"What did she tell you?" Abby asked excitedly.

"You'll find out when we get home."

"Bullshit! Home is still eight hundred miles away and I ain't waiting that long!" Abby panted like a dog in heat as she tackled Owen.

They then took off high into the night sky literally shredding each other's clothes and ravaging each other along the way.

It was going to be a fun flight home.


	11. Eve Of Destruction

Story takes place in between Child Of Fate chapter 16(The Gauntlet) and chapter 17(It's Just The End Of The World)

X

EVE OF DESTRUCTION

X

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Singer's Auto Salvage yard.

Nightfall.

How tiny they looked…the miniscule insects that now moved through the grass beneath his feet. Godzilla considered them curiously. There was a time when he looked at humans in the same way, but he was allot bigger back then.

Being shrunk down had opened an entirely new world for him to explore, one that offered odd new perspective. He wasn't sure how he should feel about it truthfully. He had after all been transformed into a towering behemoth against his will many years ago. Granted, as a godzillasaurus before his mutation he had been far from small, being around the size of a t-rex. But he certainly never asked to be made into what he was now. For him all of this was still a matter of adjustment. Adjustment to his current state as well as his surroundings.

"Son of a bitch!" Bobby suddenly cursed from nearby as Godzilla turned his head.

Bobby Singer was currently underneath an old fifty seven Chevy that had seen better days as he worked tirelessly. Amidst his frustration he hadn't seen that the jack he was currently using was starting to give way. When it suddenly went out from under the car he flinched but then the car abruptly stopped before it came all the way down on him.

Bobby was at a loss, he should've been crushed, but he wasn't. It was then though that the car began to lift farther off the ground as Bobby looked up to see Godzilla holding the end of it with one hand effortlessly.

There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence before Bobby slowly got out from underneath it and stood up.

"Uh…thanks." Bobby said awkwardly as Godzilla finally dropped the car.

There were a few more moments of silence as they stared at one another before Bobby quickly turned and walked away.

Godzilla snorted, he had just saved his life yet he still feared him. But of course he feared him…he was a monster after all.

But just then Sam and Dean came tearing into the main entrance of the salvage yard in the Impala as it screeched to a halt. They both piled out quickly as they rushed into Bobby's house.

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"Jefferson Starships? Are you sure?" Bobby asked.

"We got what's left of one shoved into our truck right now if you want to come out and take a look." Sam offered.

"No, that's alright, I'll take your word for it. But the real question here is how? I thought that the only ones there were, were roasted by Cass in Oregon."

"Well, maybe one of them got outta dodge and started making more." Dean suggested.

"Well, It's obvious we gotta take care of this, so where are we off to?" Bobby questioned.

"Ironically enough, a rural town no more than an hour's drive from here actually." Sam told him.

"Well, that's convenient. Be thankful for small favors I guess. Let's suit up folks." Bobby replied.

"Do we want to bring Abby and Owen in on this?" Sam asked.

"Hell yes, we're not even sure how many there are yet, if we walk into another town full of these things it sure would be damn nice to have some heavy duty backup." Dean explained.

"Sounds good to me, I'll get them on the phone and let them know." Bobby said.

At that moment over at Abby and Owen's house…

"What's he doing now?" Owen asked standing next to Abby as she gazed through a pair of binoculars.

"Just standing there." She said as she watched Godzilla through them.

Despite the fact that it was after dark, both Abby and Owen had eyes like cats at night. They could arguably see better at night than during the day.

"Why does he have to stay at Bobby's again?" Owen asked.

"Because it's easier for him to hide in the salvage yard."

"But he's OUR friend, he should be here with us."

"Where would we put him?"

"I don't know, the backyard?"

"Owen, he isn't a dog."

"So what are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are we going to try to find a way to make him his original size?"

"Well, I don't know honestly." She said putting the binoculars down.

"You don't know?" Owen asked as Abby turned to face him.

"I'm just not sure Owen. At his original size he causes allot of destruction, be it purposely and inadvertently, and you've got the military trying to kill him all of the time too."

"You don't think he's happy the way he is do you?"

"Owen, he hasn't been happy for a very long time regardless."

Just then Abby's cell phone rang as she pulled it out and answered it.

"Hey Bobby…yeah…okay…wait, what…are you serious…um, alright then…yeah, no problem Bobby…we'll be right over, bye Bobby."

"Who was it?" Owen asked.

"That was-" Abby stopped herself and gave Owen a look as he looked back at her with a silly grin, "Anyway…I guess we're going on a hunt with the guys."

"Cool! What are we hunting?"

"Well uh, if I heard Bobby correctly, Jefferson Starship."

"Huh? We have to kill Jefferson Starship?" Owen said as Abby shrugged her shoulders.

Soon after Abby and Owen were over at Bobby's as they prepared to depart.

"Are we ready?" Bobby asked.

"Yep, let's get this show on the road." Dean suggested.

"Are we bringing Cassie in on this?" Abby asked.

"Uh, no. He's busy with Heaven stuff. You know the drill. He's got a pretty full plate as of late." Dean told her.

The real truth however was that after what had happened with Eve in Oregon, Sam, Dean and Bobby had reasons to believe that Cass wasn't being entirely honest with them, and that worse yet, he may be working with Crowley. But they hadn't bothered sharing that info with Abby and Owen yet and until they could be sure themselves, they didn't plan to.

"What about Godzilla?" Owen asked.

"What about him?" Sam replied.

"Is he coming with us?" Owen went on.

"Well, no." Dean said.

"Seriously? He would kick sooo much ass."

"Oh, I'm not arguing that point at all guys, but I think we should keep a low profile going in for this hunt. And Godzilla well…he tends to make an entrance. I mean, he's not exactly subtle." Dean countered as Owen frowned, "C'mon guys, it ain't that bad. I mean we're not going to need him anyway, I'm sure we can handle whatever's waiting for us."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You were saying?" Owen complained as hundreds of Jefferson Starships came charging at them from the center of the town.

"Holy…crap." Dean muttered.

"This definitely has the potential to suck." Sam added.

"Well, I guess today is a good day to die, not like I had anything planned for weekend." Bobby joked.

"Okay, we're flying out of here and coming back with a Gatling gun." Abby said as her and Owen prepared to grab the others when suddenly Godzilla came bounding down in front of them with his dorsal plates glowing.

With one pass of his radioactive breath he wiped out the first wave. He then leapt into the center of the fray as the rest dog piled him. From within the horde a bright blue glow could be seen building in intensity.

"Oh shit!" Abby spoke as she realized what was coming next.

"Run!" Bobby yelled as they dove for cover just as Godzilla set off a nuclear pulse that incinerated three quarters of the creatures that remained and demolished all of the surrounding building in the process.

When the smoke cleared they came out to see Godzilla smashing and ripping his way through what was left of the monsters.

"Well, let's not just stand here let's light em up!" Dean shouted as they all rushed into battle alongside Godzilla.

Sam whipped out a machete swinging wildly as several of the creatures lost various limbs as well as their heads. Meanwhile Dean and Bobby were obliterating the skulls of others with twelve gauge shotguns. Abby and Owen of course were using their superhuman strength to rip, tear, crush and pulverize whatever was foolish enough to step into their path. And all the while Godzilla was mangling them beyond description.

In no time what remained of the Jefferson Starships were in several pieces.

"Okay, from now on we bring him on all of our monster hunts." Dean proclaimed glancing over at Godzilla as Owen sported a smug smile.

"So let me get this strait, you discovered a new monster, had a chance to name it, and you called it a Jefferson Starship?" Owen said with a cocked eyebrow.

"Yep, cool huh?" Dean boasted with a big grin.

"That's not cool that sucks!" Owen protested as Dean's grin vanished.

"Alright then what would you call them?" Dean challenged.

"Well, it would something besides Jefferson Starships that's for sure. You can't do much worse than that. Why not just call them snicker doodles or whatchamacalits or something else just as crazy?"

"Bah! Until you can come up with a better name they shall remain Jefferson Starships." Dean touted defiantly.

Nearby Abby spoke with Godzilla telepathically.

"_Thanks for saving our bacon back there."_

"_Saving…bacon?"_

"_Sorry, keep forgetting that human slang isn't your strong suit. I'm just saying thanks for coming to the rescue."_

"_You appeared to be greatly outnumbered."_

"_We were. We had no idea there would be that many of them."_

"_Now there are none."_

"_So, how are you adjusting to your…size situation?"_

"_I am managing."_

"_Must seem really strange to you."_

"_I am what I am, and it is what it is."_

"So what do we do about the big G? It's not like we can fit him in the Impala." Sam said standing next to Dean and Bobby as they watched Abby converse with him.

Godzilla's head then turned in their direction.

"_Tell the abnormally tall human that I do not need his machine to travel nor do I desire to." _Godzilla thought as his leg muscles coiled right before making a Hulk style leap that cleared a mile as he soared off into the distance.

"He says he doesn't need the car." Abby told them in a more polite manner as she smiled.

"Whoa." Sam muttered as they all watched him bound away.

"Yeah, we kinda figured that out." Dean added.

"Awesome." Owen gushed.

"Well folks, guess we're done here. How about we get back on the road?" Bobby suggested as they all piled into the car and then drove off.

But unbeknownst to them, they were being watched. It appeared to be human, or more to the point it's vessel was, a beautiful human female that looked to be in her early twenties with long flowing dark hair. But it was anything but what it appeared. Through the eyes of the monsters that had assailed them, an enemy that the Winchesters thought to be dead had beheld all that had transpired as she pondered what she had just witnessed.

"Interesting." Eve said as she brought her left hand up to her chin.

The Winchesters had made some powerful new allies, and it was going to take more than her creations to deal with them…but it mattered not, for she already had a plan.

It would normally be a simple matter to just walk up to the Winchesters and rip out their spines, but then Castiel would just bring them back again…that is unless she dealt with him first.

Both he…and the demon he was working with. But Crowley had hid himself well, from both her and her children. Normally she could make use of the eyes and ears of her monster creations, but those in Crowley's possession had been cut off from her somehow. She assumed it was something mystical in nature. As the new king of Hell Crowley had gained much power that he did not once have, obviously he was making good use of it. He had even managed to block demon summoning spells she had attempted. That was why she had originally tried to coerce the Winchesters into finding him for her, that however had not worked out.

She needed help…and she knew just where to get it.

Payback was going to be a bitch…and that bitch's name was Eve.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chicago.

Wolfram & Hart

"I would like to speak with whomever is in charge please." Eve asked with more civility than she normally would as she entered the front lobby of the Chicago branch of the evil supernatural law firm.

"Do you have an appointment Miss…" The clerk at the concierge desk began to say.

"I don't need one."

"Well, I'm afraid that's not how it works ma'am."

A split second later Eve punched the clerk's head clean off of his body as what remained slumped over and fell onto the floor behind the desk.

"Was that really necessary?" A voice spoke from behind her as she slowly turned to see Nathan Reed, Special Representative of the Senior Partners.

"He annoyed me, let's hope that you can do better." Eve said nonchalantly.

"Well, your clearly not human and quite powerful, but there's allot of that in this place, and it still doesn't give me a reason to care."

"Mind your tone insect." Eve threatened.

"And just who are you?"

"She is Eve, the mother of all monsters." One of Wolfram & Hart's seers said walking up next to Nathan in a black hooded robe.

Though the seer was technically blind with milky white irises, mystically he could see in ways that no normal being could ever hope to, for he could see Eve for what she truly was.

Upon this revelation Nathan's face went pale as he fell to his knees.

"Oh dear demon gods forgive me," He blubbered in a mixture of awe, respect and stark terror.

"That's better." Eve smiled as she walked towards him, outstretching her right hand as he took it in his and kissed it humbly while averting his eyes.

"Had I but known?" He stuttered.

"You would have shown more respect?"

"Most assuredly!"

"You are forgiven." Eve told him as she pulled her hand away from him and raised her head as she looked about the interior of the complex, "Much has changed since I was last here. It always makes a mother feel proud to learn that her children have grown and gone on to do great things. When I first birthed the creatures you call the Senior Partners, I somehow knew they would have a special destiny."

"I am happy that you are pleased oh unholy mother. Please allow me to humbly introduce myself, I am Nathan Reed, Special Representative of the Senior Partners. How may I assist you?"

"I need help finding a rather pesky demon who has proven a thorn in my side."

"May I ask who?"

"Crowley."

"The new king of Hell?"

"Indeed, I trust to your cooperation."

"Implicitly!" Nathan swore.

"Excellent."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Some time later.

Without warning Castiel found himself ripped from combat in Heaven against Raphael's forces by an angel summoning spell.

Cass looked on in surprise when he realized that a demon was apparently responsible. He now stood inside what appeared to be an isolated and deserted filling station on a rural highway. Before him was the demon in question, standing behind a table that the various implements that were needed for the spell currently sat.

"What is the meaning of this? Why have you summoned me here?" The angel said with understandable anger.

"They're all dead! And Crowley will be too if you don't do something! So if you don't want your little arrangement to go down the crapper I suggest you listen to what I have to say." The demon explained.

"What do you mean?"

"Eve…she's still alive."

"That's impossible."

"Impossible my ass! You weren't there! You didn't see what she did!"

"Eve was killed in Oregon."

"Well then it was a decoy or she has a twin sister or some other shit! I don't know and I really don't friggin care! She showed up at the lab and gutted everything that got in her way, we didn't stand a chance!"

"And Crowley?"

"Pretty sure he's still alive, but right now he's probably wishing that he wasn't. I could see the look in her eyes, she had plans for him. But she killed every other demon there, I barely got away. You've gotta do something!"

xxxxxxxxxxx

Kansas.

Back at the lab Crowley had been strapped down to the autopsy table where he had placed so many monsters in the past. He looked down at himself to see several deep cuts and lacerations. There were also a number of things sticking out of him that he was pretty sure were supposed to be inside of him. Standing over him was Eve with a rather satisfied grin. In Eve's presence both angels and demons were rendered powerless by some ancient primordial force that radiated off of her. Though her exact age was unknown, her birth did predate most angels and demons in the upper hierarchy of both races and long before the creation of man. For the time being Crowley was practically human, with all the inherent frailties and weakness that came along with it, much to her delight.

"So tell me Crowley…was it good for you?" She asked.

"Actually yes, I always was a bit of a sadomasochist, gotta love the kinky stuff."

"Oh Crowley, I haven't even begun to hurt you yet."

"Nothing wrong with a little foreplay."

"Oh I can assure you that I am not playing."

"This the part where I'm supposed to wet my knickers and get all blubbery? I've been on the receiving end of both Alistair and Lilith's blades, pardon me if I'm not forthcoming with the pleading simpering terror."

"And is that how your kind measures pain, by the feeble aptitude of demon kind? I was flaying the skin of demigods a hundred centuries before Lucifer even created the first demon. I know how to access parts of your nervous system that that will make your pain receptors dance like Michael Flatley."

"So now what? You gonna Riverdance all over my entrails?"

"For starters. How many of my first borns did you throw onto this table like slabs of meat? Hacking them up like a butcher? It's only fair that I return the favor."

"Sorry for the intrusion, but I'm afraid that I can't let you do that." Castiel said as he materialized into the room.

"Castiel, so glad you could come. And I don't mind the interruption, I had planned on killing you too after all. That's why I allowed one of the demons to escape after all, I knew you would be summoned. But I honestly wasn't sure if you would show or not. You know as well as I do that angels and demons are rendered powerless in my presence. But then again, you can't let your precious little deal with Crowley go up in smoke now can you?" Eve explained not even looking over at the angel.

"No…I cannot."

"You do realize that all you've done is sign your own death warrant by coming here…right?" Eve informed him.

"Under normal circumstances yes, if I had come unprepared. That is not the case however." The angel proclaimed as he lifted up something that he had brought with him…the branch from the burning bush.

Eve turned only to be blasted by a massive fireball that sent her crashing through the lab and eventually hurtling outside. But a few moments later she stepped back in apparently unharmed.

"Is that the extent of your merciless assault?" She mocked.

"I'm just getting started." He said as he then brought forth a chunk of Lot's salt.

As he held it out Eve's body began to turn to salt starting with her arms and legs as it began to work its way up her body. But Eve scowled defiantly with a withering glare as she summoned her own supernatural powers counteracting the effect. Soon enough she returned to normal and then let out a shriek that caused the salt in Castiel's hand to explode as he was knocked back against a wall.

Eve advanced quickly but the angel was ready as he then played his trump card…the staff of Moses. Suddenly a lightning bolt shot down from the sky ripping through the lab and striking Eve dead on. Several more followed knocking her about as if she were being pummeled by a prize fighter until she was blown back outside.

As Eve got back up Castiel drove the staff into the ground as he summoned a triumvirate of plague attacks. First appeared the boils, after which she began to bleed from practically every pore on her skin, followed by a shower of hail stones that proceeded to freeze her in place as she fell to one knee.

"For all of your power Eve, even you cannot withstand God's wrath." He boasted.

The mother of all monsters then raised her head as she let out an ear splitting howl that shattered every window and bit of glass in the lab. An invisible shockwave reeled off of her that mowed Castiel down knocking the staff from his hands as his attack ceased.

"Wrath? Wrath! You dare speak to me of wrath! Your father created me too you imbecile! You threaten the natural order of the universe by planning to rip through the fabric of reality! Murder my firstborns and align yourself with the king of Hell! And you dare to smite me in your father's name! You spit in the face of God with your blasphemy! And it is I who will restore order! You started this Castiel!" Eve bellowed as she quickly rushed forward grabbing hold of him by his throat, "And…I…will…finish it."

At that exact moment the angel grabbed hold of her wrist as he spat out a short incantation, a moment later she was gone.

Through the hole in the wall Crowley could see what had transpired as he began to speak.

"Nicely done, an old fashioned wiccan teleport spell. Where did you send her?"

"Not sure. But obviously not far seeing how we still don't have our powers back." The angel answered as he walked back inside.

"Well, if you're done playing Gandalf the grey, how out getting me off this table?" Crowley advised.

The celestial then rushed over to where Crowley was tied down and proceeded to undo the straps.

"We must go quickly, she will be back any moment."

"We'll take one of the sport utility vehicles parked outside."

As Castiel helped Crowley off of the table he motioned over to where one of several dismembered demons was, the keys they needed for the vehicle in question were in his pants pocket. With Crowley's right arm over his shoulders the angel helped him outside.

"Once we get out of the town her influence over us should dissipate and our powers return." Castiel said as they climbed into the climbed into the driver's seat quickly enough but seemed rather perplexed once he was seated.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Crowley exclaimed.

"I have no knowledge of how to operate this vehicle." Castiel admitted in a rather embarrassed fashion.

"Oh bloody Hell!" Crowley said reaching over and turning the ignition key and throwing the truck into gear, "Welcome to driver's ED! Gas pedal is on your right, brake on your left! Home James!"

The vehicle then sped away from the compound as fast as it could go.

Not too far away Eve reached out telepathically to her various inhuman offspring.

"_Find the Winchesters and their allies, tell me where to find them." _She spoke.

Castiel and Crowley may have eluded her for the time being, but she would see to them after dealing with her other targets.

A short time later…

"Okay, so I got you clocked going 65 in a 55, and you managed to mow down a mailbox as I pulled you over, would you care to explain yourself sir? Have you been drinking?" A highway patrol officer asked a rather awkward and nervous looking Castiel who looked over at Crowley.

"Don't look at me, you were the one doing the driving." The demon said innocently.

"I'll need to see your license and registration please."

"I don't have one."

"What?"

"My friend requires medical attention." The angel said.

"Is that why you were speeding? What's wrong with him?" The officer asked as he leaned in and took a closer look at Crowley, "My God is that his kidney sticking out! What in the Hell happened?"

"Cass?" Crowley warned as the angel blurted out the truth like a loyal dog told to roll over.

"He was being tortured by Eve, an ancient primordial being with the ability to render angels and demons powerless and who is also the mother of all monsters in creation." Castiel said honestly.

"What?" The officer asked in obvious disbelief.

"Cass, please stop talking." Crowley pleaded.

"He um…cut himself shaving." The angel lied unconvincingly as Crowley closed his eyes and hung his head repeatedly banging it on the dash.

"I think I was better off back with Eve." The demon groaned.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back at the salvage yard Godzilla stood vigil. All was quiet and peaceful as it usually was, two things that Godzilla certainly was not accustomed to. But it was rather nice not to be constantly hunted and on the run for a change. That was one thing that his new more stealth friendly size was good for. At his formerly gigantic stature, only the depths of ocean could conceal him, but he was always forced to come ashore to feed.

And that was another thing, he hadn't hungered for nuclear sustenance since he had been shrunk down. What he didn't know was that in this smaller form, he didn't burn through energy the way he did before, who knew when he would actually need it again.

Godzilla's train of thought was derailed however by a sound echoing from the darkness.

He listened intently as it sounded again…it was a noise that was familiar to him.

With his enhanced hearing he scrutinized the place where it was coming from and proceeded to follow.

He eventually left Bobby's property and headed down the road as the beckoning call lured him along.

Eventually he found himself entering downtown Sioux Falls, granted it was also three in the morning and the town itself was rather dead activity wise.

Finally he saw the source of the sound, his eyes widened at what they beheld. It was his mate, the one he had on the island he once lived on back before his transformation. Godzilla's mind raced with questions.

_Could it be? Could it really be her? But why is she so small?_

But then his supposed mate shape shifted revealing her true form at last…it was Eve. It had merely been a deception. A cruel lie to bring Godzilla here.

Godzilla could sense great power coming from this being. It was ancient, timeless and primordial. His instincts warned him to be wary, but he was also boiling with rage at the ruse he had been tricked with.

Eve wanted to more thoroughly test this beast's abilities in a way that her offspring were ill suited to do. Making the kaiju angry seemed the quickest and easiest way to accomplish that task.

Godzilla roared with fury as he charged towards her, obviously she had succeeded.

Godzilla slammed into her hard as they crashed into a car which in the process mowed down a mailbox and a fire hydrant before it bore into but not through a brick wall. With a firm grip around Eve's throat Godzilla pulled her in close as he snarled threateningly. Eve wasn't intimidated however and reacted by drilling him in the head with a right fist punch that nearly broke his neck from the force of the impact. But Godzilla rebounded by jerking her off the car he had pinned her against and threw her clear across the street as she flew into the front lobby windows of an office building. She got up just in time to be tackled head on as they started smashing through one wall after another inside of the structure. They exploded out the other side as Eve was sent rolling across the pavement. Godzilla charged yet again, but this time Eve was ready for him as she leapt up high dodging Godzilla and landing behind him.

The saurian turned only to be backhanded viciously as he flipped head over heels. His flying body careened into and demolished countless vehicles, lampposts and various other objects that he was plowing through far too quickly to be able to properly discern. Levitating off the street Eve sped towards him through the air only to get hit with a stiff punch that sent her reeling once more. As she went tumbling her body came to a stop near another car which she picked up and then threw at Godzilla. He blasted it out the sky though before it could reach him as he then lumbered over and got an awkward grip on an eighteen wheeler. Eve however dodged it easily as it flew by her. Unfortunately though the tanker truck fell directly into a gas station. With the tanker itself being full of fuel, one spark is all that it took as an incredible explosion resulted.

In mid-flight she scooped up a parked bus like it weighed nothing and swung it into Godzilla like a giant club as he soared into another edifice making a sizeable hole as he went through. Dropping the bus Eve floated through the hole only to see that he had gone all the way through. But as she emerged out the other side she was suddenly hit by something…a five ton wrecking ball!

Godzilla had ripped it loose from a crane on a construction site nearby as he gripped the heavy chain in his right hand and slammed it into her again and again. Eventually he released it as it bore into her like a flying battering ram as she went crashing back into the building they had just came out of. She hadn't even fully gotten back up yet when Godzilla charged in barreling into her. During the course of their struggle several primary support beam were taken out as the structure they battled within abruptly caved in on top of them.

After that things grew quiet…but only for a few moments.

Godzilla was practically punched out of the rubble as he twirled through the air and crashed back down.

Once more Eve flew towards him as Godzilla's dorsal plates began to glow. He shot forth his breath beam as it struck her dead on in her chest. But not only did it not stop her…she began to push against it until she was right in front of him. When she reached him she slammed his mouth shut with her hands cutting off the beam. Godzilla grabbed hold of Eve's wrists, trying to pry them off, but her grip was like a vise. Unable to use his beam, Godzilla set off a nuclear pulse instead, but still she stood strong.

Eve then took off up into the sky with the kaiju in tow as they eventually flew outside of city limits and towards the dam just outside of town. She then twirled in the air and released him as Godzilla smashed hard into the base of the levee. Godzilla was back up again in a heartbeat as Eve landed in front of him, but suddenly he heard a cracking sound behind him as he turned around. Where he had collided with the weir cracks were beginning to form. Realizing what was happening Godzilla quickly threw his bulk against the concrete wall to prevent its breakage. Though Godzilla had no real desire to protect humans, this town was Abby and Owen's home, thusly he felt obligated to safeguard it. If the dam broke all of Sioux Falls would be flooded.

Abby and Owen arrived on the scene at that very moment, having sensed that Godzilla was in mid-battle which woke her and in turn, Owen from sleep.

"What have you done?" Abby demanded as they landed.

"Merely keeping him busy while I attend to personal business." Eve stated.

"Who are you?" Owen cut in.

"I have had many names over countless millennia. The Greeks called me Echidna, the Babylonians, Tiamat, the Celts, Morrigan. But you can call me Eve."

"Eve? The mother of all monsters? You're supposed to be dead, the Winchesters killed you." Abby spoke up.

"I can assure you that the rumors of my death…are greatly exaggerated." She smiled, "In the meantime, I suppose I should thank you."

"For what?" Abby asked.

"The Devil's Dungeon. I had intended to go there myself, but you and your friends took care of that for me."

"It wasn't for your benefit." Abby scowled.

"Perhaps...but you served my will none the less."

It was then that Owen bolted forward.

"Owen no!" Abby shouted, but it was too late.

Holding out her right hand she then released energy that she had absorbed from Godzilla's beam into a concentrated blast. Owen's unconscious body flew far off in the distance before crashing back down. Eve then began to levitate as Abby looked back and forth between her and where Owen was.

"You have a simple choice Abby. Go see if your lover is alright or try to stop me before I gut the Winchesters…your call." Eve said as she took off into the sky.

Abby then turned to Godzilla.

"_Can you hold the dam?"_

"_For now yes, but how long I do not know."_

Abby then made a beeline for where Owen touched down. She found him lying in a good sized crater in a cornfield. He was in pretty rough shape but he would recover. Assured that he was okay, Abby turned in the direction that Eve had gone and quickly gave chase.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

One state over Sam and Dean were working a haunting case at a recently abandoned rural residence when Eve suddenly came crashing down through the roof of the house.

"What the Hell?" Dean spat.

"Hello boys." She said nonchalantly.

"Eve?" Sam asked in confusion right before she charged forward tackling them both through the wall of the house they were in and back outside.

Severely winded and suffering possible broken bones the Winchesters struggled to get back to their feet.

"Where's your phoenix ash now? Not so high and mighty now are we?" She boasted slowly walking towards them.

"It's…it's not possible." Dean wheezed painfully as rolled over on the ground.

"Oh I assure you it is quite possible." She said as she reached down and grabbed them both by their necks lifting them up off the ground with one of them in each hand.

"We…killed you, we …watched you die!" Sam coughed through her chokehold.

"Alas boys, you only thought you did. What you killed in Oregon was merely a clone, a decoy to throw you off. Honestly, did you really think it was going to be that easy? My eyes and ears are everywhere. I knew about the phoenix ash before you even arrived in Oregon. You may be insignificant little bugs, but unlike previous enemies both demon and angel alike, I have never underestimated your resourcefulness. That's why I'm still here and most of them are dead and or gone."

"Ca-Cass!" Dean tried to cry out through her stranglehold.

"Oh, I'm afraid that calling upon your little angel friend won't do any good. He is otherwise detained at the moment, I saw to that. Not that it would matter if he were her-"

Eve was cut off in mid sentence by suddenly being rammed into at high velocity by Abby as they smashed through the front door of the house. The both rolled to a stop and quickly righted themselves as they faced off.

"Impressive little one. Clearly I underestimated your flight speed. I didn't think you would get here in time to save them." Eve confessed as she and Abby began to circle one another.

"You'll find I'm full of surprises."

"I would expect no less of one who was once one of my children."

"YOU are not my mother." Abby said angrily.

"No, not your human mother. But the day you became a vampire you became one of mine, for it was I who created the first vampire countless ages ago."

"So I indirectly have you to thank for the hellish existence that I endured for over two hundred years?"

"I am not to blame for that. It was God who tainted you by forcing you to retain your human soul after being turned. Riddling you with a conscience that prevented you from reveling in the gifts that I bestowed upon you."

"Gifts? GIFTS!" Abby roared as she flew forward connecting with a punch with at least twenty tons of force behind it.

Eve's head snapped to one side as Abby's fist connected with her jaw, but she slowly turned her head back to face her as she smiled.

"You'll have to do better than that." She chided her.

Abby drew back and swung again only to have her fist caught this time as Eve began to crush it in her own hand forcing Abby to her knees.

"Come come now are you really so angry? Without the gift of your immortality you would have never met your beloved Owen after all, or have the inner strength to have faced all of the dangers and challenges that you have faced throughout your life. You owe me far more than you could ever know."

"I owe you nothing! It was friends and allies that gave me the strength to keep going, not you! The love that Owen and I share that gave me a new reason to live and love, NOT YOU!" Abby bellowed as she fought in vain against Eve's greater strength.

Eve merely sighed disapprovingly.

"Children…they can be so ungrateful." She claimed as she reared back and gave Abby a backhand that put her through another wall into an adjacent room.

Abby got up only to be doubled over by a crippling punch that dropped her back down coughing up blood. Eve then grabbed her by her hair and threw her through another wall going out the back of the house. Abby rolled across the ground painfully. She was positive she had some broken ribs and for some reason her left arm no longer seemed to work, but still she rose as Eve floated out of the house after her.

Abby attempted another weak punch with her right arm only to have Eve block it and then connect with right cross to her temple putting her back down. She then reached down grabbing Abby as she threw her clean back through the house sending her smashing back out of the front where they had started. This time Abby didn't get back up.

Eve levitated back through and came to rest right in front of where Abby lay. She began to reach down for her again when Dean abruptly broke a crowbar over the back of her head…she didn't even flinch before backhanding him about thirty feet away. This was followed by Sam ramming the impala strait into her as the front of the vehicle crunched and folded in on itself like it had hit a tree as the rear end of the car flipped up into the air before coming back down, it didn't even budge her as she nonchalantly looked over at Sam in the driver's seat through the windshield. She then punched her fist into the hood of the car wrenching out the several hundred pound engine and throwing it through the windshield as Sam barely bailed out in time.

As Sam rolled out of the car though he came back up wielding a double barreled shotgun, Dean having limped over to the back of the impala procured one of his own as he stepped up alongside side Sam. But as the Winchesters unloaded Eve walked through the barrage like it was nothing. Dean then tossed a grenade as he and Sam dove for cover. Eve caught it in her hand and gazed at it a moment before it blew up in her face. When the smoke cleared she was none the worse for wear as she then looked down at her torn and incinerated dress as it fell off of her in pieces.

"Now that was rude, I liked that dress." She grumbled as she now stood before them completely naked, "Dean, I know you'll go to any lengths to get a woman out of her clothes but I must admit even for you this is taking things to a whole new level." She grinned.

"Oh crap." Dean managed to mutter before Eve rushed up to them with her hands out stretched knocking them both through the front windows of the house as they went crashing inside.

But as Eve turned around she suddenly saw Castiel standing before her.

"Back for more? Glutton for punishment are we?"

"Maybe…or maybe I just needed to go get something." The angel said as he pulled a familiar looking gun out of his coat…the Colt.

Eve had only a second to register what was happening before a shot fired from it and pierced her heart. She staggered back a few steps looking down at the wound before looking back up at Castiel. Then she collapsed. Castiel walked up to where she lie and stared down at her…only to see her eyes snap open.

Castiel's face went pale as she stood back up.

"It's going to take more than that…" She began to say as the bullet from the Colt was forced back out of the wound it created and fell onto the ground, "…to kill me." She finished as she hit Castiel with a punch that sent him flying for miles.

Meanwhile Abby had bore witness to what happened and she knew that in Eve's presence angels were rendered practically human.

There was no way he could have survived that attack.

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"CASSIE!" Abby screamed as Eve turned her attention back to her.

"And then there was one." Eve relished.

But when Eve's eyes met hers she suddenly realized that something was happening. With an incredible scream an intense surge of power reeled off of Abby's body that mowed Eve down. The mother of all monsters righted herself and tried to stand against it, but it was too much even for her as it eventually overwhelmed her. She became the equivalent of a stick in the sand trying to stop an incoming tsunami…she stood no chance. She was blown away high into the sky and far out of sight.

After this Abby bolted to where Castiel had came down to find a demolished but thankfully vacant house. But when she rushed inside she saw Castiel just sitting there none the worse for wear.

"Cassie! You're alive!"

His only response was to pull something else out of his coat…the spear of destiny.

"Oh thank God, literally!" She cried as she lunged forward and embraced him, "Don't you ever scare me like that again!" She sobbed with tears in her eyes.

"My apologies, I wasn't honestly sure if the Colt would stop her so I…took precautions. Are you alright?"

"Well,…yes, I guess I am." Abby realized as she broke the embrace to look down at herself.

"You tapped into your power again didn't you? The same power that you and Owen used to help destroy Beelzebub."

"How did you know?"

"I could feel it."

"So could I." Another voice said as Abby turned to see Owen standing before her.

"Owen!" Abby squealed as they hugged one another and shared a kiss.

"When you summoned it, it awakened me somehow." He told her.

"It makes sense, the two of you are connected by that power after all, and that same power obviously healed your injuries also."

"I…I don't know what happened. I didn't think, I just…reacted." Abby admitted.

"Well, I would say that it was rather fortuitous."

"You're telling me."

"Can we go home now?" Owen asked.

Meanwhile three states away, Eve slowly sat up from the crater her body had created when she came down as she shook her head to clear the cobwebs. She had touched down in the middle of a baseball stadium, only now the field itself no longer existed.

"Well, that was…interesting." She confessed as she got back up and proceeded to walk out.

The only person to bear witness was an old janitor as the naked female in question nonchalantly strolled by him. He then looked down at a bottle of Jim Bean he had in his hands and quickly threw it aside.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

In the aftermath of the battle Castiel handled the clean up. He healed the Winchesters injuries and then whisked over to the dam where Godzilla was. The cracks were growing in size as they spider webbed up through the barrier, but the angel outstretched his hand, using his angelic powers to seal the cracks.

_"Took you long enough."_ Godzilla thought.

_"My apologies."_

"_Are Abby and Owen alright?" _

"_Yes." _Castiel answered.

"_Where is Eve?" _

"_Eve has been dealt with for now." _

"_She isn't dead?"_

"_No."_

"_So she will return."_

"_More than likely I'm afraid."_

"_Who stopped her?"_

"_Abby, she has power within her yet undreamed of, without it God only knows what would've became of us all. Today…we were very fortunate."_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, at Bobby's.

"So you were pulled over by the cops?" Abby asked.

"Indeed, it was a most disconcerting situation." Castiel responded.

"So what did you do?" Owen added.

"Well, without my powers I was in no position to resist, so I was taken 'downtown' as humans call it. Once they took me to their jail I found that I was far enough away from Eve's influence for my powers to return to me, so we teleported."

"We? What do you mean we?" Abby asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I meant me, or more to the point I. I apologize for my grammar error." Castiel corrected with a slight tinge of nervousness.

"Relax Cassie, it's no big deal, right Sam?" Abby said.

"Yeah…no big deal." Sam said with a look that suggested that he knew allot more than he was telling.

After that Castiel vanished from sight. Upon his departure Abby turned to Sam, Dean and Bobby.

"Okay, now that he's gone, would all of you mind telling me and Owen just what in the Hell is going on?" She asked rather bluntly.

"Huh?" Sam said.

"Nothing, everything's just fi-"

"Bullshit!" Abby cut Dean off, "You've been hiding something from us for quite some time now. Ever since you got back from Oregon the first time that you thought you killed Eve, and it obviously has something to do with Cassie, now spill it!" She demanded.

A long uncomfortable silence followed that Dean finally broke.

"Okay…but I gotta warn ya, you ain't gonna like what you hear…"


	12. Honeymoon In Asgard

Story takes place right after the final chapter of the original Child Of Fate.

X

HONEYMOON IN ASGARD

X

Asgard, the realm eternal.

A celebration of most grandiose proportions was taking place in the capital city, celebrating the union of Abigail and Owen Macready. Though it was customary in most marriages for the bride to take the groom's last name, Owen insisted on taking Abby's instead. To him it signified leaving an old and unhappy life behind and relishing the new one he now had with his beloved Abby.

Since the bifrost had been recently repaired it was far simpler to pinpoint the alternate Midgard/Earth that Abby and Owen came from with added help from Odin's great power. And thus the festivities were ready to commence. Thor along with Abby, Owen, Castiel and the Winchesters arrived in short order.

"Holy crap that was awesome!" Owen blurted out as he and Abby and the others stepped onto the bifrost after being transported from their Earth.

"Enjoy the ride?" Thor asked with a smile.

"Hell yeah! That was like freakin warp speed! Way faster than when me and Abby fly!"

"That's because the bifrost propels you at trillions of miles per hour. Normally traveling at such speeds would prove fatal even for our kind, but the bifrost itself protects our bodies from the effects."

But just then Dean voiced his protest to that statement by throwing up as everyone stopped and looked at him.

"But uh, it can prove a little rough for mortals." Thor ad-libbed.

"Dean are you okay?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, peachy." He groaned as he wiped his mouth for he had yet to experience a supernatural form of travel that didn't succeed in jacking up his insides in one form or another.

Abby, Owen, Castiel and the Winchesters looked all around themselves at the great golden chamber they now stood in, it's beauty and grandeur left them speechless. But then they took note of the bifrost's operator and guardian Heimdall, decked out from head to toe in golden armor and wearing a horned golden helmet upon his head.

"Whoa, who's the scary guy with the constipated face?" Dean asked.

"Everyone, this is Heimdall, all seeing and all hearing watchman of Asgard, the bifrost and all of the nine realms." Thor said.

"The nine realms, yeah, I remember you talking about them now." Owen spoke.

"Yes, Alfheim, Asgard, Hel, Jotunheim, Midgard, Muspelheim, Nidavellir, Svartalfheim, and Vanaheim." The Odinson explained.

But before Owen could ask any further questions all of them were distracted as they looked ahead of them through the entrance of the bifrost to the city of Asgard in the distance. It shined like a glimmering jewel with unfathomable splendor and magnificence as their jaws dropped in awe.

"And that, is the capital city of Asgard." Thor stated with pride as everyone stopped and took in the sight for a moment."

"Wow." Abby said breathlessly, for never in all of her long lifetimes and experiences had she ever seen anything as beautiful as this.

"Amazing." Sam muttered as everyone looked on, even Castiel was impressed.

"Come, if we wait here too long they'll start the party without us." Thor professed with a jovial smile as they started towards the city.

Owen and Abby both looked down with wonderment at the rainbow bridge beneath their feet as every conceivable spectrum of color known raced through its titanic inner workings from the bifrost all the way to the city like a great glowing river of synapse. It lit up brighter still with every step that they took as they walked across it. The others seemed captivated by Asgard's sky, rife with miscellaneous cosmic colors, stars and of course its gigantic twin moons that were visible even during the day. Soon enough though they reached their destination, Odin's palace.

A short time later in the main banquet hall.

One of the first ceremonies upheld was the congratulating of the bride and groom by all in attendance. It was during this time that someone who hadn't been able to attend the wedding arrived.

"Angel, hello." Abby said as she reached out and gave him a hug.

"Hello Abby, Owen. I'm sorry I couldn't attend the wedding, you know I wanted to be there right?"

"Of course we do, we know you were busy, that and bursting into flame in broad daylight would've been kinda of inconvenient, take it from someone who used to know." Abby appeased him.

"Definitely different here, for some reason Asgardian sunlight doesn't burn vampires."

"Yeah I know, Marie said she was definitely going nude sunbathing while she was here." Abby said as the three of them shared a laugh.

"Well, I don't want to hold up the line behind me, I wish the two of you nothing but joy and happiness, you two have certainly earned it." Angel told them as they both hugged him before he stepped aside.

Who stepped up next left Abby and Owen awestruck to say the least, Thor father, often called the all father, Odin himself, along with his wife and queen Frigga.

"Welcome to Asgard Abby and Owen Macready, it is my will and the will of the kingdom that your union is blessed with mirth and prosperity for all of your days to come. You honor my house."

"Thank you all father," Abby said as her and Owen gave a slight bow, "It is you who honor us by allowing us to hold our reception here in your grand and beautiful kingdom, we cannot thank you and your son Thor enough. And in regards to Thor, may I say that you have raised a wonderful son whom we consider a good friend and the greatest and proudest warrior we have ever known."

"You flatter me, my family and my kingdom, I thank you." Odin said as he reached out and shook Owen's hand and then kissed Abby's before stepping aside.

"Whoa that was awesome." Owen whispered.

"You're telling me."

"You think I shoulda told him that he looks just like Anthony Hopkins?"

"In our reality he is and no you shouldn't. You would just embarrass us and then I'd have to kick your butt."

"Ohhhh, is that a promise?" Owen teased in a rather horny fashion as Abby elbowed him in the ribs.

After the meet and greet gifts were given to the happy couple that represented an odd if not interesting combination of Earthly and Asgardian traditions. Everything from blenders to battle axes were received with much grace and gratitude.

Though the wedding had been held on Earth, Abby and Owen had waited until they had gotten to Asgard to uphold certain post ceremony customs, such as the tossing of the bride's stocking for example. Though Abby hadn't actually worn a wedding dress, that didn't stop them from procuring a proper nylon for the task. Granted there were few males who wanted any part of it, but being held in place by angry valkaries at spear point proved to be persuasive. However, that didn't stop the men from scattering when Owen finally launched it through the air. Especially the Errol Flynnesque ladykiller Thandral, who feared the concept of matrimony more than all the frost giants of Jotunheim a hundred times over.

Once they had parted only one remained as the garter landed right on top of Castiel's head. He looked up at it curiously with some level of honest confusion. Castiel then took notice of the fact that one of the valkaries was eyeing him rather lustfully as she licked her lips. The angel then gulped nervously.

The tossing of the bouquet on the other hand, unfolded very differently. When Abby threw it the violent scrimmage by the Asgardian females that resulted made a football pile on look quaint and gentile by comparison. Nearby Lady Sif leaned against a wall rolling her eyes. Though she was one of the most beautiful maidens in all of Asgard, she possessed the heart of a warrior and had no interest in the affairs that captivated other Asgardian females. But amidst the flying fists of the Asgardian women it was Marie who fought her way to the top of the horde with the bouquet in hand. It looked like it had been stomped on and then eaten by an angry giant, but it and victory, was hers nonetheless. Abby meanwhile couldn't help but burst out laughing as Marie shot Joe a knowing look.

After this feasting and merriment commenced the likes of which no mortal had ever seen. Various activities such as traditional Asgardian games, dancing, wrestling, and good-natured _flytings_ or insult-contests provided the entertainment for the guests, while some of the attendees presented _lygisogur_, the so-called "lying stories" which they had composed for the occasion, featuring stories about famous people, selections of verse, romance and the supernatural. The portly Volstaag excelled at this, often recounting the tale of when he, Thandral, Hogun and Lady Sif came to Earth to retrieve Thor after he had been banished resulting in their battle with the Destroyer. Volstagg's version of the events that unfolded tended to differ greatly from what actually transpired.

Then the unthinkable and perhaps inevitable happened. Owen challenged Volstaag to an eating contest. When it was finally over both combatants had to be carried away from the banquet table in a great deal of pain. The contest was declared a draw, despite the protests of both participants to the contrary.

Unfortunately that would not be the last time that poor Owen would court an encounter with pain. There was a moment during the festivities when Thor left Mjolnir unattended to engage in a song with Lady Sif and the warriors three, not that it was an issue to worry about considering the mystical enchantment that Odin had cast upon the mighty hammer that dictated that only he whom was worthy could lift it.

Not that, that was going to stop Owen from trying of course.

Owen continuously looked back and forth between the hammer and the Asgardians nearby and then decided to make his move. As he stepped up to the hammer its magical inscription appeared upon its side.

"_Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."_

"Well, I'm feeling worthy today." Owen spoke proudly as he reached down and got a firm grip on the handle as he proceeded to pull.

However the only thing that Owen succeeded in pulling in the end was his insides as he gave himself a hernia. Owen stood there for a few moments not making a sound, his face turning various colors as he began to sweat. It was then that Castiel came up to him taking notice of his condition.

"Are you alright?" The angel asked.

"W-who me? Y-yeah I'm just fine." Owen winced unconvincingly.

"You're in pain aren't you?"

"What? No...ah, maybe a little...yes...Oh God it hurts!"

"Why did you attempt to deny your obvious discomfort? More so for that matter why did you attempt to lift Thor's hammer?"

"Cuz I'm a guy!"

"I don't understand." Castiel said as Owen immediately collapsed into a fetal position clutching at his midsection.

"Please! For the love of your father just fix me already!" He pleaded in agony.

Granted Owen's own metahuman healing abilities would have taken care of it, just not as fast or as painless as Castiel could. Owen was rather demoralized by the experience, but Thor would later explain to him that after Odin had first cast the enchantment a contest was held to see if anyone else in the kingdom could lift Mjolnir. No one else was able to, this of course was not a comment on the content of a person's character, for many who tried were some of the most honorable and noble warriors that Thor had ever known. Thor said that Mjolnir almost had a life-force all its own and that it could be at times rather…finicky about who it would allow to wield it. Of course telling Owen that the Hulk couldn't lift it either also went a long way to making him feel allot better.

Meanwhile Sam and Dean were getting quite allot of attention from the Asgardian women, Sam especially considering his athletic build and tall stature. But being a consummate gentleman as well as fearing for his life, he was politely attempting to dodge their advances.

Dean on the other hand was loving every second of it.

"Dean you can't be serious."

"Can't I? If you don't want em send them my way."

"Dean, these are Asgardian women. Super strength and stamina remember? Having sex with one of them could kill you."

"Yeah…but what a way to go huh?" Dean said with a lewd grin as his brother shook his head.

It was indeed a most joyous occasion, even Hogun the grim almost smiled…almost.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

That night…

If one were to have entered what was the honeymoon suite of Abby and Owen, they would at first see no one. One would see a disheveled bed that suggested goings on of a carnal nature. One would also hear the sounds of orgasmic bliss, various screams and moans signifying extreme gratification from its occupants…who were currently on the ceiling.

The bedroom itself was possessed of the most intricate of architecture and beyond ornate, but it's occupants were far too preoccupied with each other to care.

As they both reeled in the aftermath of their mutual release they fell back down onto the bed with a resounding thud. They nuzzled one another breathlessly, covered in each other's love fluids as they lie upon the bed together.

"I think this is the first time we've had sex without breaking anything." Owen giggled as Abby joined in.

"It makes sense I guess. These rooms were built for Asgardians and they are superhuman as well." Abby reasoned.

After that however Owen's face went blank for a few moments as if lost in thought.

"Owen? What is it?"

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Everything that we've both been through. When I think back on it, I'm amazed that we're even alive. It's certainly taught me to appreciate what I have with you."

"I couldn't agree more."

"I love you Abby." Owen said as his eyes began to water slightly.

"And I love you." Abby requited as she pulled him in for another kiss.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile in Asgard's brewery, Thor, Castiel and the Winchesters were indulging themselves in the finest mead in all of the nine realms and were already quite inebriated. Sam and Dean however had already succumbed to unconsciousness, their human constitutions only being able to handle so much before it got the best of them. Thor and Castiel meanwhile had already drank enough between the two of them to kill a hundred men.

"Wh-what is this drink? Iiiiiiieeeeee like it." The angel slurred.

"Asgardian mead! The…the finest you'll ever have in this reality or…or any other." Thor mumbled back.

"It…it's allot more potent than…than beer."

"Hah! Is…is it too much for you?"

"Of course not. But I gueeessss it was for them." The angel suggested as he looked over at Sam and Dean.

"Yes, but they…they didn't do bad for mere mortals. Theeeey have allot of spunk." Thor responded as he tried to stand up only to fall back down causing Castiel to snicker.

"Yooooouuuurrre be-being…foolish!" The angel chided him.

"Youuuu're being foolish my friend." Thor challenged as he managed to pull himself back up with a stagger in his step, "Just like your claim to…to Thursday. Ever-everybody knows that Thursday was named after me. That's why it called, it's called…Thor's Day."

"That is incorrect. My father named…named that day for me and everyone knows it."

"Bah! My father named it-*BURP* c-countless eons ago."

"My dad's older than your dad. Soooooo it doesn't count." Castiel challenged as he suddenly turned and barfed.

"Wh-what a waste of per-perfectly good mead. It's obvious, that yooooooou can't hold your liquor." Thor claimed as he suddenly bent over and threw up also.

"Yo-you c-can't hold your either." The angel prodded as he started to laugh rather goofily.

"N-nonsense! I…I'm j-just getting warmed up. Another!" Thor shouted as he threw his goblet down upon the floor and then fell back down himself.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The following day the Winchesters along with Marie, Joe and Angel headed back to Earth while Abby, Owen and Castiel had elected to stay.

Currently Abby and Owen were at a beautiful crystal clear lake not too far from the palace as they had decided to take a dip. Abby was wearing a slingshot bikini while a slightly more self conscious Owen was sporting a pair of straightforward swim trunks. She had bought Owen what was commonly called a mankini, but he refused to wear it much to her amusement. At the moment however they were being confronted by a slightly different problem.

"What do you mean you don't know how to swim? All the time I spent teaching you how to fly and your telling me that you don't know how to swim either?" Abby said in disbelief.

"Well, I was starting to learn back in Los Alamos, but I kinda got interrupted if you recall." Owen replied sheepishly.

"Well how about now then?"

"Uh, I don't know."

"Owen, you've fought demons, angels, monsters and even gods by my side and you're going to tell me that you're afraid of a little water?" She giggled.

"Well, uh, it does kinda bring back bad memories." Owen admitted as Abby walked up to him and took his hands in hers.

"Then let me help you make new ones." She said with a warm smile that made Owen simply melt.

With that she started to lead him into the water, but when they were waist deep Owen suddenly stopped.

"Abby, I don't think-"

"Maybe all that you need is the proper motivation." Abby interrupted him as she started to peel off her bikini seductively while walking into the water without him.

If Abby had learned one thing in all the time that she had spent with Owen, one thing that was more powerful than his fear was his libido. And she could tell it by the look on his face. Soon she was completely naked and submerged as she gazed back at her lover.

"If you want me Owen…come take me."

That was all the encouragement that he needed as with an excited whoop he leapt from where he had been standing further into the lake and clear past Abby. In his eagerness he had somewhat misjudged his jump. And once he was in, he sank to the bottom like a rock.

Abby quickly swam down, finding Owen sitting at the bottom looking somewhat perturbed at his situation as she grabbed him and led him to the surface.

"It's okay Owen, I've got you."

"Well, that was swell."

"Owen relax, it's okay, here, just do as I do. Try kicking your legs." Abby said as she looked down at Owen's feet.

"Uh, like this?"

"Yeah, that's called a flutter kick. Now try this." She went on as she started to move her legs in a different manner.

Owen watched closely and then mimicked what he saw.

"Is that right?"

"Yep, that's called an eggbeater kick, now here, move your arms like this." She told him as she started treading water.

Owen quickly followed suit and then suddenly without warning she let go of him.

"Abby!" He said with slight panic as she released him.

"It's okay Owen look." She said as he looked down at himself and realized that he wasn't sinking.

The combination of techniques she had shown him were keeping him afloat as his face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Hey! I'm doing it!" He hollered excitedly as Abby smiled at him.

"See, it's not so bad now is it?"

"I guess not, but how do I move around? You know, not just stay in one spot?" He asked as Abby swam back over to him.

"I'll show you." She said as she put her arms around him.

In time Abby was teaching him everything. The frontstroke, the backstroke, the dolphin stroke, the butterfly stroke and countless more. When she felt he was getting comfortable enough with it she decided to have some fun with him.

"Now I'm gonna show you something else that being in the water is good for." Abby cooed as she suddenly went under and vanished leaving Owen seemingly alone.

"Uh Abby? Abby?" He called out, but she did not surface.

Then abruptly, Owen's swimming trunks were ripped off of him as he jumped slightly.

"Abby? Abby what are you- oh uh-uh-uh oh, oh m-my guuuuuuud." Owen stuttered as his eyes rolled back into his head.

Owen's facial expression was indescribable and rather humorous to say the least, he could barely keep himself afloat. It was to be the beginning of what was to be a wonderful honeymoon for both of them.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

In due time Abby and Owen were given a full tour of the palace with Odin's wife Frigga as their guide. They had a chance to see and learn about almost everything in Asgard with the exception of places that were restricted to all but the royal family and the highest ranking soldiers of the kingdom, like the weapons vault for example. During the tour Frigga explained Asgard's long and rich history from the time of its genesis up until now.

"Are you enjoying your stay here?" Frigga asked them as they walked along.

"Oh yes, it's beautiful here, we've never seem anything like it." Abby answered.

"I am glad, I trust our hospitality is to your liking?"

"Indeed, very luxurious. Though we have to admit neither of us are used to being waited on hand and foot like this." Abby said with a slightly red face.

"There is no need to feel uncomfortable, for such is the way of Asgard and those who dwell here. You are friends of my son and therefore must be accorded by our laws the utmost in respect and service."

"And we cannot thank you enough for your kindness your highness." Abby told her with a respectful bow that Owen quickly followed suit on, after which they continued walking.

"Now this I think you will find very interesting." Frigga began to say as they stood before a great and ponderous pair of double doors with the symbol of Odin upon them, "We call this the hall of mirrors. But these mirrors are mystical in nature, for they not only show your reflection, but also the true reflection of the essence of your very soul. It will show what lies there, be it good or evil, right or wrong, beautiful or ugly."

Frigga then signaled for the guards to open the doorways and as such they did.

"Would you care top step inside with me?" The queen asked as she motioned for Abby and Owen to follow.

Owen started to enter but Abby did not, she was frozen in place.

"Abby? What's wrong?" Owen asked as he then stopped and looked back at her.

"I…I don't want to go in there." She spoke honestly with a great deal of fear in her voice.

"My dear Abby what is wrong, what have you to fear? From what Thor tells me you have proven yourself to be kind, brave, virtuous and full of love." Frigga told her.

"Thor doesn't know the whole story, he doesn't have all of the details. Once long ago, I was a vampire, I fed on human blood, I killed to sustain myself. For hundreds of years I murdered countless people."

"Was it your choice to do so?" Frigga asked.

"No, I was turned against my will, I never asked for any of it. I never took pleasure in what I was…but I did it nonetheless."

"But you sought redemption." Frigga stated.

"Yes…but that does not change the past…or undo it."

"Abby please, I think you might be surprised by what you find." Frigga implored.

Suddenly Abby felt Owen's hand wrap around hers as she looked over at him.

"I'm right here with you Abby, I always will be. And no matter what the mirrors in there show, I'll always love you." Owen swore as Abby slowly but surely took her first step into the chamber.

Soon enough they were inside. Frigga's reflection was beyond what one could call beauty, it showed the love and devotion she had given her entire life to her family and her people. Owen's reflection put one in mind of a gallant knight in shining armor, revealing the love, courage and faith he had in Abby and their special bond, as well as his want and need to help others.

But meanwhile Abby had not yet opened her eyes, she was too scared to as she began to shake and quiver, but Owen and Frigga could already see her reflection.

"Abby." Owen began to whisper into her ear, "Open your eyes."

Finally Abby did just that and couldn't have been more shocked by what she saw.

It was…radiant, almost angelic. So stunning was it that it was almost too brilliant to look at.

Abby became awash with emotion.

"N-no, thi-this can't be right. Not after what I've done." She whimpered.

"It would appear that your God has forgiven you…perhaps you should learn to forgive yourself." Frigga reassured her as she placed her hand upon her shoulder.

Tears then began to steam down Abby's cheeks as Owen wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace.

Watching not too far away were Thor and Castiel. The Odinson was smiling at the display but looked over to see no such merriment upon the angel's face.

"Castiel? What is wrong my friend?"

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

"The future. It was supposed to be preordained that Abby and Owen would have many amazing adventures together and live a long and happy immortal life with one another."

"That sounds wonderful, why would that trouble you?"

"Back in our reality, our Apocalypse was also supposed to be written in stone, but myself and the Winchesters, we crushed that stone and scattered its dust upon the wind. Proved that nothing is certain where free will is concerned. What if…what if…"

"Yes?"

"What if it is the same for them?"

"You fear for them."

"I do. They deserve nothing but joy and happiness after everything that they've both been through, but if this existence has taught me anything, it's that there are no guarantees."

"Then we shall both watch over them." Thor proclaimed as he placed a hand on Castiel's shoulder, who nodded in response.

"Yes…we will." The angel agreed as he looked over at Thor allowing himself a brief half smile as he did so.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

A week later Abby and Owen were bound for home. The royal family was on hand to say their goodbyes in person as they all stood at the entrance to the bifrost gateway.

"Remember that you are friends of the family and are welcome here any time." Odin told them.

"Thank you, and thank you again for your hospitality." Abby replied as she, Owen and Castiel turned to leave.

"Fare thee well my friends." Thor said.

"And farewell to you too." Abby called back.

Heimdall then drove his mighty golden staff into the activation slot as the bifrost roared to life. Once they had stepped through Odin assisted using his great mystical powers to guide them back to their reality.

Once they had gotten back home though Abby and Owen were greeted by something unexpected in their front yard, something oddly shaped and large covered by a large tarp.

"Huh?" Owen muttered.

"What is this?" Abby asked looking over at Castiel who then walked over to the tarp and pulled it back.

Abby and Owen's eyes got as big as saucers and their jaws dropped when they saw what it was…the jungle gym from the Los Alamos apartment courtyard. Closer inspection revealed that it also looked good as new, none of the age and rust that had been apparent the last time they saw it was there anymore.

Both of them were speechless as they looked over at Castiel.

"The apartment complex in Los Alamos was recently demolished and this almost was with it. I in good conscience could not stand by and let that happen. Consider it a special wedding present." The angel said with a smile.

"Ca-Cassie." Abby said breathlessly as both her and Owen walked over to the monkey bars and touched them.

"It, It looks like new." Owen said in disbelief.

"I've been toying with matter transmutation recently. You recall me saying once that it was not my strong suit? Well as you can see, I'm starting to get better." The angel said proudly.

The emotion was obvious in both of their faces as they then quickly rushed over and jointly embraced Castiel.

"Thank you, thank you so much for this." Abby sobbed with tears of joy.

"You are welcome my friends." The angel said as he returned their hug, "I have learned more about human nature and love from the two of you even more than I have the Winchesters. I am not the same angel I once was, but I do know that I am grateful for what you have helped me to experience. What ever the future holds, know that I will always watch over you. I am now your guardian angel, forever more." He proclaimed proudly.

"You're not just our guardian angel, you're our friend. Our most treasured friend and we would be lost without you. We owe you everything, never forget that…we love you Castiel." Abby emoted as the angel became somewhat misty eyed.

"Thank you…my friends." The angel praised them as their group hug tightened.

Perhaps it was true that the future was not written in stone, the path before all of them unknown and possibly quite perilous. But whatever challenged them from this day forward, they took comfort in knowing that they would stand hand in hand to face it without fear. They, as well as their friends and allies both human and inhuman, unified in their love and devotion to each other and the strength that they would draw from those bonds.

The choices they had made throughout their lives came with a certain amount of risk, but had they not made them would their lives even be worth living at all?

If the question had been posed to any of them as to whether or not the choices they had made were worth it, the answer would most certainly be a resounding yes.

And so, their lives would indeed go on and without regret, for only someone who takes chances can seize a chance for happiness in the end.

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_To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,_

_To weep is to risk appearing sentimental._

_To reach out to another is to risk involvement,_

_To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self._

_To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss._

_To love is to risk not being loved in return,_

_To live is to risk dying,_

_To hope is to risk despair,_

_To try is to risk failure._

_But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing._

_The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing._

_They may avoid suffering and sorrow,_

_But they cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live._

_Chained by their servitude they are slaves who have forfeited all freedom._

_Only a person who risks is free._

END

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Well folks that's it for this story, if I do any more tales that take place after this they will be the beginnings of new separate stories. Hope everyone enjoyed reading and thanks for your time.


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